Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Cognitive Dissonance01:38

Cognitive Dissonance

32.6K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
32.6K
Self-Discrepancy Theory02:45

Self-Discrepancy Theory

18.3K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.  
18.3K
Incentive Theory: Pull Theory of Motivation01:18

Incentive Theory: Pull Theory of Motivation

443
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...
443
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification03:00

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

5.2K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
5.2K
Social Exchange Theory02:06

Social Exchange Theory

34.5K
We have discussed why we form relationships, what attracts us to others, and different types of love. But what determines whether we are satisfied with and stay in a relationship? One theory that provides an explanation is social exchange theory. According to social exchange theory, we act as naïve economists in keeping a tally of the ratio of costs and benefits of forming and maintaining a relationship with others (Rusbult & Van Lange, 2003).
34.5K
Cognitive Theories: Schachter-Singer Theory of Emotion01:20

Cognitive Theories: Schachter-Singer Theory of Emotion

403
Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer proposed the two-factor theory of emotion, which emphasizes the interplay between physiological arousal and cognitive labeling in forming emotional experiences. This theory suggests that emotions are not simply a result of physiological responses but rather a combination of these responses and the individual's cognitive interpretation of them.
Physiological Arousal and Cognitive Labeling
According to this theory, when an individual experiences...
403

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Visual rating scales of atrophy differentiate sporadic behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia from primary psychiatric disorder: DIPPA study.

Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996)·2026
Same author

Empathy in primary progressive aphasia: Neural signatures and longitudinal trajectories.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2026
Same author

Ultra-rare variants in LAMA2 are risk factors for frontotemporal dementia and motor neuron disease.

Human molecular genetics·2026
Same author

Altered amygdala structural connectivity and relations to social cognition in frontotemporal dementia.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2026
Same author

Quantitative assessment of brain atrophy in bvFTD: Implications for diagnostic conversion.

Alzheimer's & dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2026
Same author

The exposome of brain aging across 34 countries.

Nature medicine·2026
Same journal

What's in a Mean? Comparing Interbeat Interval Averaging Methods Across Variability Levels and Window Lengths.

Psychophysiology·2026
Same journal

Model-Free and Model-Based Learning in Human Fear Conditioning.

Psychophysiology·2026
Same journal

Examining the Impact of Acute Exercise and Arousal Reappraisal on Stressor-Evoked Psychological and Cardiovascular Responses.

Psychophysiology·2026
Same journal

Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia and Hierarchical Dimensions of Psychopathology.

Psychophysiology·2026
Same journal

Probing Prediction-Related Processes in Language Using an EEG Word Stem Completion Paradigm.

Psychophysiology·2026
Same journal

sBOSC: A Method for Source-Level Identification of Neural Oscillations in Electromagnetic Brain Signals.

Psychophysiology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2025

Studying Food Reward and Motivation in Humans
12:09

Studying Food Reward and Motivation in Humans

Published on: March 19, 2014

23.4K

Does effort increase or decrease reward valuation? Considerations from cognitive dissonance theory.

Eddie Harmon-Jones1, Sophie Matis1, Douglas J Angus2

  • 1School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Psychophysiology
|February 7, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Perceived control and effort interact to influence how much we value rewards. High control increases reward valuation with high effort, while low control decreases it.

Keywords:
EEG/ERPcognitive dissonance theoryeffort discountingeffort justificationperceived controlreward positivity (RewP)

More Related Videos

The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
08:24

The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies

Published on: August 25, 2023

720
A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats
06:11

A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

Published on: February 20, 2019

7.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 4, 2025

Studying Food Reward and Motivation in Humans
12:09

Studying Food Reward and Motivation in Humans

Published on: March 19, 2014

23.4K
The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
08:24

The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies

Published on: August 25, 2023

720
A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats
06:11

A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

Published on: February 20, 2019

7.4K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Social Psychology

Background:

  • Conflicting theories exist on effort's impact on reward valuation: effort justification (high effort increases value) and effort discounting (high effort decreases value).
  • Previous research has yielded contradictory findings regarding effort and reward valuation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interactive effects of perceived control and effort on reward valuation.
  • To integrate the seemingly opposing findings of effort justification and effort discounting literature.
  • To examine the neural correlates of these effects using the Reward Positivity (RewP) event-related potential.

Main Methods:

  • Participants underwent a task where perceived control over outcomes and the effort required to obtain rewards were manipulated.
  • Event-related potentials (ERPs), specifically the Reward Positivity (RewP), were recorded during the task.
  • Behavioral measures of reward valuation were collected.

Main Results:

  • A significant interaction was found between perceived control and effort, influencing reward valuation.
  • When perceived control was high, high effort led to greater reward valuation, supporting effort justification.
  • When perceived control was low, high effort led to lower reward valuation, supporting effort discounting.

Conclusions:

  • Perceived control is a critical moderator in the relationship between effort and reward valuation.
  • The findings integrate and reconcile the effort justification and effort discounting theories.
  • The Reward Positivity (RewP) reflects the impact of perceived control and effort on reward valuation.