Punishment sensitivity and self-control: the role of motivation

Punishment sensitivity is closely linked to self-control, yet the cognitive and neural correlates underlying this relationship remain poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the associative structure between punishment sensitivity and self-control at both behavioral and neural levels, and to explore potential neural correlation patterns. To address these questions, we developed a dual-level (brain-behavior) model with the motive to achieve success and the motive to avoid failure as parallel mediators. We analyzed behavioral data and resting-state functional connectivity from 665 participants. The behavioral mediation analysis indicated that punishment sensitivity was associated with lower self-control, with the motive to achieve success and the motive to avoid failure serving as mediators of this association. Neural elastic-net analysis identified two patterns: default mode network (DMN)-frontoparietal network (FPN) connectivity and within-somatomotor hand network connectivity were positively predictive of punishment sensitivity, whereas DMN-visual network (VN) and VN-FPN connectivity were negatively predictive. These were termed the positive mask and the negative mask, respectively. Moreover, the mediation analysis revealed that the connectivity pattern (including the positive and negative masks) of punishment sensitivity influenced self-control through its effects on decreased the motive to achieve success and increased the motive to avoid failure. By integrating behavioral and neural evidence, the present findings raise the possibility that punishment sensitivity may be linked to diminished self-control. This link could involve a motivational imbalance. This finding not only enriches the theoretical framework of punishment sensitivity but also provide preliminary evidence for future confirmatory and causal research on neural mechanisms.