title: Are the carrot and the stick the two sides of same coin? A neural examination of approach/avoidance motivation during cognitive performance.
abstract: The present study examined neural circuit activity in a working memory (WM) task under conditions of approach and avoidance motivation. Eighteen participants were scanned with functional MRI while they performed a 3-back WM task under three conditions: in an avoidance condition incorrect responses were punished with monetary loss; in an approach condition correct responses were rewarded with monetary gain; in a neutral control condition there was no monetary incentive. Compared with the control condition, activation in fronto-parietal areas - which are associated with WM processing - was increased in both the approach and avoidance conditions. The results suggest that both approach and avoidance motivation increase task-related cognitive activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuropsychology Unit, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, Cognition & Behavior, Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Liège, Belgium; Fund for Scientific Research - FNRS, Belgium. Electronic address: sanaa.belayachi@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Sanaâ
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Belayachi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Cognition & Behavior, Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Liège, Belgium; Fund for Scientific Research - FNRS, Belgium; Cyclotron Research Center, Université de Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Majerus
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, Geneva Motivation Lab, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gendolla
authors.affiliation: Cyclotron Research Center, Université de Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Cognition & Behavior, Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Liège, Belgium; Fund for Scientific Research - FNRS, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuropsychology Unit, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, Cognition & Behavior, Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Martial
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van der Linden
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D012201:Reward; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Approach and avoidance motivation; Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); Working memory