Faster, but not finer: Prospect of reward in a dual task induces a bias toward action at the cost of accurate Task 2 performance
Tue-H2-Talk 4-3802
Presented by: Devu Mahesan
Not responding to Task 2 can have adverse effects on Task 1 performance as demonstrated by no-go backward crosstalk effects (no-go BCE). Here, the response inhibition required to not respond to Task 2 spills over and adversely affects Task 1 performance. Over three experiments, we investigated whether the prospect of reward, which is a potent cognitive control modulator, influences the no-go BCE. In Experiment 1, reward was modulated as a within-subject, and in Experiments 2 and 3, as a between-subject factor. The results revealed three major insights: In all three experiments, reward led to faster Task 1 and Task 2 performance. Secondly, despite this speeding, the no-go BCE was not modulated by reward, and finally, reward led to more errors in Task 2 no-go trials. These results reveal a reward-induced bias for action over inaction. Furthermore, the findings contribute to the ongoing literature of the interplay between reward and cognitive control and shed light on the potentials and limitations of reward-based modulation of dual-task interference.
Keywords: Backward crosstalk effects, Response inhibition, Reward, Go/No-go, Dual task