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Motivational and cognitive determinants of control during conflict processing
Alexander Soutschek1, Tilo Strobach, Torsten Schubert
1a Department of Psychology , Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München , Munich , Germany.
Cognition & Emotion
|December 19, 2013
Summary
Monetary rewards influence cognitive control differently based on whether it involves reactive or proactive processes. Motivation impacts conflict adaptation less when conflict expectancy is high.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Cognitive control is activated by reward anticipation and conflict.
- Understanding the interaction between motivation and cognitive control is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate how reward anticipation (motivation) interacts with conflict processing.
- Examine the distinct roles of reactive and proactive control in this interaction.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments using a Stroop task with performance-dependent monetary rewards.
- Experiment 1: Examined conflict adaptation (reactive control) by varying preceding trial congruency.
- Experiment 2: Manipulated conflict expectancy (proactive control) by altering trial proportion.
Main Results:
- Motivation did not interact with conflict adaptation (reactive control).
- Motivational effects were less pronounced under high conflict expectancy (proactive control).
Conclusions:
- The interaction of motivation with cognitive control depends on whether proactive or reactive control processes are engaged.
- Findings highlight the differential impact of motivation on distinct cognitive control mechanisms.
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