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Comparing monetary gain and loss in the monetary incentive delay task: EEG evidence
Yan Zhang1, Qiuhao Li1, Yachao Rong1
1Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition and School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China.
Psychophysiology
|July 10, 2023
Summary
The desire to gain motivates behavior more than the fear of loss, as shown by brain activity and faster responses. Participants focused more attention on potential gains, especially large ones.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Decision Science
Background:
- Behavioral economics suggests both gains and losses influence decisions.
- Previous electroencephalography (EEG) studies offer conflicting insights into neural responses to monetary incentives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically investigate the neural processes underlying monetary gain and loss anticipation and consumption.
- To compare the effectiveness of gain versus loss motivation on behavior and brain activity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a monetary incentive delay (MID) task with 24 participants.
- Employed time-domain and time-frequency-domain electroencephalography (EEG) analyses.
- Manipulated valence (gain/loss) and magnitude (high/low) of monetary incentives.
Main Results:
- Behaviorally, gain anticipation led to greater response facilitation than loss anticipation.
- EEG analysis revealed valence effects and interactions with magnitude in P2/P3 and RewP components.
- Neural oscillations showed increased delta/theta activity for high magnitudes and decreased alpha activity for gains during anticipation.
Conclusions:
- Gain motivation appears more potent than loss aversion in driving behavior and attention.
- Neural oscillatory patterns differentiate processing of gains and losses, with heightened attention to high-magnitude gains.
- Findings provide novel insights into the neural underpinnings of decision-making under varying incentive conditions.
