Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026
05:04
An Electrophysiology Protocol to Measure Reward Anticipation and Processing in Children
Published on: October 4, 2018
Task preparation processes related to reward prediction precede those related to task-difficulty expectation
Hanne Schevernels1, Ruth M Krebs, Patrick Santens
1Dept. of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Neuroimage
|September 26, 2013
Summary
Reward prospect influences brain activity earlier than attention demands during task preparation. Electrophysiology reveals reward anticipation impacts early neural processing and task preparation, unlike attention which affects later stages.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychology
Background:
- Previous fMRI studies suggest overlap in neural activity for reward anticipation and attention.
- Limited temporal resolution of fMRI hinders understanding of the timing of these preparatory processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the temporal dynamics of neural processes underlying reward anticipation and attentional demands.
- To disentangle the neural underpinnings of preparatory processes using event-related potentials (ERP).
Main Methods:
- A factorial design combining cued attentional demands and reward prospect.
- Utilized event-related potentials (ERP) to measure neural activity.
- Analyzed the contingent negative variation (CNV) component.
Main Results:
- Reward prediction significantly influenced early cue processing and both early and late phases of the CNV.
- Reward-related electrophysiological effects correlated with faster response times.
- Attentional demands primarily affected the later part of the CNV, especially for high-difficulty targets.
Conclusions:
- Reward anticipation can initiate task-preparation processes earlier and potentially more directly than attention-based strategic preparation.
- Suggests distinct temporal dynamics for reward and attention in modulating preparatory brain activity.
Keywords:
AttentionCNVContingent negative variationEEGERPEvent-related potentialsICAISIROIRTRewardSPNVisual attentioncontingent negative variationelectroencephalographyevent-related potentialfMRIfunctional magnetic resonance imagingindependent component analysisinter-stimulus intervalrANOVAregion of interestrepeated-measure analysis of varianceresponse timestimulus-preceding negativity
Related Concept Videos
01:08Timing and Consequences on Behavior
In operant conditioning, the timing of reinforcement is crucial. For animals like rats and cats, immediate reinforcement (within a few seconds) is much more effective than delayed reinforcement. For example, a food reward for a rat needs to follow within 30 seconds of pressing a bar to be effective.
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant factor...
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant factor...
01:22Purposive Learning
E. C. Tolman emphasized the purposiveness of behavior — the idea that much of our behavior is goal-directed. For instance, employees who aim for a promotion work diligently to meet their targets. Tolman argued that when classical conditioning and operant conditioning occur, the organism acquires certain expectations. In classical conditioning, a child might fear a dog because they expect it to bite. In operant conditioning, a person might consistently work overtime because they expect a bonus...
01:18Incentive Theory: Pull Theory of Motivation
Incentive theory, or the "pull theory" of motivation, suggests that external rewards primarily drive behavior. Individuals are motivated to engage in activities when they anticipate a desirable outcome. This is why people often work hard for promotions or study intensively to achieve high grades. These incentives can be tangible, physical rewards such as money or promotions, or intangible, non-physical rewards like praise and social recognition.
The theory differentiates between intrinsic and...
The theory differentiates between intrinsic and...
01:21Cognitive Learning
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...