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Diminished neural responses predict enhanced intrinsic motivation and sensitivity to external incentive
Marsden, Karen Ma, Weiji Deci, Edward Ryan, Richard Chiu, Pearl
Marsden, Karen
Ma, Weiji
Deci, Edward
Ryan, Richard
Chiu, Pearl
Abstract
The duration and quality of human performance depend on both intrinsic motivation and external incentives. However, little is known about the neuroscientific basis of this interplay between internal and external motivators. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural substrates of intrinsic motivation, operationalized as the free-choice time spent on a task when this was not required, and tested the neural and behavioral effects of external reward on intrinsic motivation. We found that increased duration of free-choice time was predicted by generally diminished neural responses in regions associated with cognitive and affective regulation. By comparison, the possibility of additional reward improved task accuracy, and specifically increased neural and behavioral responses following errors. Those individuals with the smallest neural responses associated with intrinsic motivation exhibited the greatest error-related neural enhancement under the external contingency of possible reward. Together, these data suggest that human performance is guided by a “tonic” and “phasic” relationship between the neural substrates of intrinsic motivation (tonic) and the impact of external incentives (phasic).
Keywords
Date
2015
Type
Journal article
Journal
Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience
Book
Volume
15
Issue
2
Page Range
276-286
Article Number
ACU Department
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled