title: Neural evidence for the intrinsic value of action as motivation for behavior.
abstract: The intrinsic value of an action refers to the inherent sense that experiencing a behavior is enjoyable even if it has no explicit outcome. Previous research has suggested that a common valuation mechanism within the reward network may be responsible for processing the intrinsic value of achieving both the outcome and external rewards. However, how the intrinsic value of action is neurally represented remains unknown. We hypothesized that the intrinsic value of action is determined by an action-outcome contingency indicating the behavior is controllable and that the outcome of the action can be evaluated by this feedback. Consequently, the reward network should be activated, reflecting the generation of the intrinsic value of action. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) investigation of a stopwatch game in which the action-outcome contingency was manipulated. This experiment involved 36 healthy volunteers and four versions of a stopwatch game that manipulated controllability (the feeling that participants were controlling the stopwatch themselves) and outcome (a signal allowing participants to see the result of their action). A free-choice experiment was administered after the fMRI to explore preference levels for each game. The results showed that the stopwatch game with the action-outcome contingency evoked a greater degree of enjoyment because the participants chose this condition over those that lacked such a contingency. The ventral striatum and midbrain were activated only when action-outcome contingency was present. Thus, the intrinsic value of action was represented by an increase in ventral striatal and midbrain activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Information and Communication Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tohoku Institute of Technology, 35-1 Yagiyama Kasumicho, Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 982-8577, Japan. Electronic address: miura.naoki@tohtech.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology, Department of Social and Human Environment, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, D2-1(510), Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.affiliation: Pathophysiological and Health Science Team, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 6-7-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiro T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 38 Nishigonaka Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Tokiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.affiliation: Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 38 Nishigonaka Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Norihiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sadato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D012201:Reward; D066328:Ventral Striatum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: action-outcome contingency; fMRI; intrinsic motivation; midbrain; ventral striatum