Temporal dynamics of hedonic and eudaimonic reward processing: An event-related potentials (ERPs) study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Reward processing can be categorized as hedonic (pleasure seeking) or eudaimonic (meaning-driven).
• The precise neural mechanisms differentiating these reward pathways are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neurodynamics of hedonic and eudaimonic reward processing.
• To differentiate neural responses during the anticipation and consumption of hedonic versus eudaimonic rewards.
• To explore the relationship between neural reward indices and longitudinal changes in well-being.

Main Methods:

• Employed the monetary incentive delay task with event-related potentials (ERPs) to record neural activity.
• Operationalized hedonic reward as winning money for oneself and eudaimonic reward as winning money for charity.
• Analyzed neural responses during anticipatory and consummatory reward stages in 24 participants.

Main Results:

• During anticipation, hedonic and eudaimonic rewards showed similar early ERPs (P2, N2) but diverged in later stages (cue-P3).
• In the consummatory phase, hedonic reward yielded a larger Feedback-related Negativity (FRN) effect, while eudaimonic reward produced a larger feedback-P3 (fb-P3) effect.
• Exploratory analysis indicated that the cue-P3 amplitude during eudaimonic reward anticipation positively predicted increases in positive emotion over six months.

Conclusions:

• Hedonic and eudaimonic reward processing involve distinct neural dynamics across anticipatory and consummatory stages.
• The cue-P3 component during eudaimonic reward anticipation may serve as a neural marker for future well-being improvements.
• These findings contribute to understanding the neural basis of different reward types and their impact on psychological health.