Choking on the money: reward-based performance decrements are associated with midbrain activity

Psychol Sci. 2009 Aug;20(8):955-62. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02399.x. Epub 2009 Jul 6.

Abstract

A pernicious paradox in human motivation is the occasional reduced performance associated with tasks and situations that involve larger-than-average rewards. Three broad explanations that might account for such performance decrements are attentional competition (distraction theories), inhibition by conscious processes (explicit-monitoring theories), and excessive drive and arousal (overmotivation theories). Here, we report incentive-dependent performance decrements in humans in a reward-pursuit task; subjects were less successful in capturing a more valuable reward in a computerized maze. Concurrent functional magnetic resonance imaging revealed that increased activity in ventral midbrain, a brain area associated with incentive motivation and basic reward responding, correlated with both reduced number of captures and increased number of near-misses associated with imminent high rewards. These data cast light on the neurobiological basis of choking under pressure and are consistent with overmotivation accounts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Achievement
  • Adult
  • Arousal / physiology
  • Attention / physiology
  • Brain Mapping
  • Corpus Striatum / physiology
  • Female
  • Frontal Lobe / physiology
  • Gyrus Cinguli / physiology
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted*
  • Individuality
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Male
  • Maze Learning / physiology
  • Mesencephalon / physiology*
  • Motion Perception / physiology*
  • Motivation / physiology*
  • Orientation / physiology
  • Oxygen / blood*
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual / physiology*
  • Prefrontal Cortex / physiology
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology*
  • Reward*
  • Video Games*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Oxygen