Motivation Improves Working Memory by Two Processes: Prioritisation and Retrieval Thresholds

Abstract

Motivation can improve performance when the potential rewards outweigh the cost of effort expended. In working memory (WM), people can prioritise rewarded items at the expense of unrewarded items, suggesting a fixed memory capacity. But can capacity itself increase with motivation? Across four experiments (N = 30-34) we demonstrate motivational improvements in WM even when all items were rewarded. However, this was not due to better memory precision, but rather better selection of the probed item within memory. Motivational improvements operated independently of encoding, maintenance, or attention shifts between items in memory. Moreover, motivation slowed responses. This contrasted with the benefits of rewarding items unequally, which allowed prioritisation of one item over another. We conclude that motivation can improve memory recall, not via precision or capacity, but via speed-accuracy trade-offs when selecting the item to retrieve.

Task prioritization modulates alpha, theta and beta EEG dynamics reflecting proactive cognitive control

“…To sum up, in contrast to previous neuroscientific research in this field, we here manipulated mental effort in a task prioritization paradigm. Although we used a new manipulation of effort allocation, the goal of the current study was not to directly compare different types of task importance operationalizations as has been done before 33,35,65 . Instead, we aim to extend the findings of previous studies to a broader context.…”

Task prioritization modulates low frequency EEG dynamics reflecting proactive cognitive control

“…To sum up, in contrast to previous neuroscientific research in this field, we here manipulated mental effort in a task prioritization paradigm. Although we used a new manipulation of effort allocation, the goal of the current study was not to directly compare different types of task importance operationalizations as has been done before 33,35,84 . Instead, we aim to extend the findings of previous studies to a broader context.…”

The stigmatized perceiver: Exploring the implications of social stigma for cross‐race face processing and memory

“…For instance, our default pattern suggests that relatively limited cognitive resources does not significantly impair face memory for stigmatized perceivers, and this may be due to the compensatory influence of expertise and/or motivation. Generally speaking, experts tend to require fewer resources than novices (e.g., Campitelli, Connors, Bilalić, & Hambrick, 2015), and motivation may help to drive resource allocation (e.g., Grogan, Randhawa, Kim, & Manohar, 2021). However, while we would expect a stigmatized perceiver to be more expert and/or highly motivated to individuate (and process configurally) when viewing the face of a non-stigmatized target, the influence of this motivation may be limited in situations where the cognitive resources available to the perceiver are severely strained (e.g., stereotype threat).…”