Reward-based modulation of task-switching performance: a diffusion model analysis

Weber, Timo; Fröber, Kerstin; Schuch, Stefanie · 2023 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.3758/s13414-023-02711-7

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Summary

This study investigates the interface between motivation and cognitive control, specifically examining how performance-contingent reward modulates task-switching performance and inhibitory control. The researchers focused on N-2 task repetition costs, a performance decrement observed when switching back to a task performed two trials prior (ABA sequence) compared to switching to a novel task (CBA sequence). These costs are widely interpreted as markers of persisting inhibition of previously abandoned tasks. While prior literature suggests reward enhances general cognitive control, evidence regarding its specific effect on inhibitory control (N-2 costs) remains mixed. The authors aimed to clarify this by employing diffusion modeling to disentangle decision-making processes from non-decisional components. The study comprised two experiments, each involving 96 participants who switched between three distinct categorization tasks (e.g., digit parity, magnitude, and interval tasks in Experiment 1; household item attributes in Experiment 2). The design utilized a between-subjects manipulation of reward (reward group vs. control group) and a within-subjects manipulation of phase (baseline vs. reward phase). In the reward group, participants received monetary incentives for fast and correct responses in the second phase, with thresholds determined individually based on baseline performance. Experiment 2 additionally introduced penalties for errors. The researchers analyzed reaction times, error rates, and diffusion model parameters—drift rate (evidence accumulation), boundary separation (response caution), and non-decision time. The results indicated that the reward manipulation significantly improved overall performance speed in the reward group compared to the control group. Diffusion modeling revealed that this improvement was driven by an increase in the drift rate parameter, consistent with dopamine-mediated enhancements in attentional focus and signal-to-noise ratio. However, contrary to the authors' expectations, there was no robust evidence for a reward-based modulation of N-2 repetition costs across either experiment. N-2 costs remained small and unaffected by the reward condition. The authors suggest that the lack of modulation may indicate that reward does not interact with inhibitory control at the task level, or that the tasks employed did not require sufficient inhibitory control to reveal such an effect. The findings contribute to the understanding of how motivation influences specific components of cognitive control. By demonstrating that reward enhances drift rate without altering N-2 repetition costs, the study suggests that reward primarily boosts the efficiency of evidence accumulation rather than modulating the inhibitory mechanisms responsible for task set reconfiguration. This distinction implies that while reward improves general task performance and focus, it may not directly alleviate the cognitive costs associated with overcoming persistent inhibition of previous task sets.

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• task switching