Do Reward-Related Distractors Impair Cognitive Performance? Perhaps Not

Over a hundred prior studies show that reward-related distractors capture attention. It is less clear, however, whether and when reward-related distractors affect performance on tasks that require cognitive control. In this experiment, we examined whether reward-related distractors impair performance during a demanding arithmetic task. Participants (N = 81) solved math problems, while they were exposed to task-irrelevant stimuli that were previously associated with monetary rewards (vs. not). Although we found some evidence for reward learning in the training phase, results from the test phase showed no evidence that reward-related distractors harm cognitive performance. This null effect was invariant across different versions of our task. We examined the results further with Bayesian analyses, which showed positive evidence for the null. Altogether, the present study showed that reward-related distractors did not harm performance on a mental arithmetic task. When considered together with previous studies, the present study suggests that the negative impact of reward-related distractors on cognitive control is not as straightforward as it may seem, and that more research is needed to clarify the circumstances under which reward-related distractors harm cognitive control.

Download Full-text

Electroencephalogram-based cognitive performance evaluation for mental arithmetic task

10.1016/b978-0-323-85769-7.00014-8 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 85-101

Author(s):

Debatri Chatterjee ◽

Rahul Gavas ◽

Roopkatha Samanta ◽

Sanjoy Kumar Saha

Keyword(s):

Performance Evaluation ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Mental Arithmetic ◽

Arithmetic Task ◽

Mental Arithmetic Task

Download Full-text

Stereotype Threat May Not Impact Women’s Inhibitory Control or Mathematical Performance: Providing Support for the Null Hypothesis

10.31234/osf.io/v92wk ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Charlotte Rebecca Pennington ◽

Damien Litchfield ◽

Neil McLatchie ◽

Derek Heim

Keyword(s):

Stereotype Threat ◽

Inhibitory Control ◽

Null Hypothesis ◽

Mental Arithmetic ◽

Arithmetic Task ◽

Bayesian Analyses ◽

Mathematical Performance ◽

Memory Interference ◽

Moderating Factors ◽

Mental Arithmetic Task

Underpinned by the findings of Jamieson and Harkins (2007; Experiment 3, Journal of Personality & Social Psychology), the current study pits the mere effort motivational account of stereotype threat against a working memory interference account. In Experiment 1, females were primed with a negative self- or group stereotype pertaining to their visuospatial ability and completed an anti-saccade eye-tracking task. In Experiment 2 they were primed with a negative or positive group stereotype and completed an anti-saccade and mental arithmetic task. Findings indicate that stereotype threat did not significantly impair women’s inhibitory control (Experiments 1 & 2) or mathematical performance (Experiment 2), with Bayesian analyses providing support for the null hypothesis. These findings are discussed in relation to potential moderating factors of stereotype threat, such as task difficulty and stereotype endorsement, as well as the possibility that effect sizes reported in the stereotype threat literature are inflated due to publication bias.

Download Full-text

Estimation of Cognitive Distraction from Driver Gazing

International Journal of Software Science and Computational Intelligence ◽

10.4018/ijssci.2017040104 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 50-60 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Akira Yoshizama ◽

Hiroyuki Nishiyama ◽

Hirotoshi Iwasaki ◽

Fumio Mizoguchi

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Data ◽

Mental Arithmetic ◽

Support Vector ◽

Simulation Environment ◽

Time Intervals ◽

Arithmetic Task ◽

Task Load ◽

Cognitive Distraction ◽

Mental Arithmetic Task ◽

Using Data

In their study, the authors sought to generate rules for cognitive distractions of car drivers using data from a driving simulation environment. They collected drivers' eye-movement and driving data from 18 research participants using a simulator. Each driver drove the same 15-minute course two times. The first drive was normal driving (no-load driving), and the second drive was driving with a mental arithmetic task (load driving), which the authors defined as cognitive-distraction driving. To generate rules of distraction driving using a machine-learning tool, they transformed the data at constant time intervals to generate qualitative data for learning. Finally, the authors generated rules using a Support Vector Machine (SVM).

Download Full-text

Intranasal oxytocin reduces heart rate variability during a mental arithmetic task: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study

Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.08.016 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 81 ◽

pp. 408-415 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Lincoln M. Tracy ◽

Stephen J. Gibson ◽

Izelle Labuschagne ◽

Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis ◽

Melita J. Giummarra

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Mental Arithmetic ◽

Double Blind ◽

Arithmetic Task ◽

Double Blind Placebo ◽

Mental Arithmetic Task

Download Full-text

Causal coherence analysis of heart rate variability and systolic blood pressure variability under mental arithmetic task load

Biological Psychology ◽

10.1016/j.biopsycho.2004.07.001 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 69 (2) ◽

pp. 217-227 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Kohzoh Yoshino ◽

Katsunori Matsuoka

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Blood Pressure Variability ◽

Mental Arithmetic ◽

Coherence Analysis ◽

Arithmetic Task ◽

Task Load ◽

Mental Arithmetic Task ◽

Systolic Blood Pressure Variability ◽

Causal Coherence

Download Full-text

Does visual exposure to one's pet regulate stress levels during the mental arithmetic task?

10.32920/ryerson.14657019 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Natalie Ein

Keyword(s):

Stress Reactivity ◽

Mental Arithmetic ◽

Self Report ◽

Induce Stress ◽

Psychosocial Stressor ◽

Arithmetic Task ◽

Visual Exposure ◽

Physiological Assessment ◽

Mental Arithmetic Task

This thesis examined the role of viewing a picture of one’s pet as a mechanism for alleviating the symptoms of stress. The mental arithmetic task (MAT), a psychosocial stressor was used to induce stress. Participants were randomly assigned into one of six visual conditions: either a picture of their personal pet (n = 9), an unfamiliar animal (n = 9), a person who is supportive and important to the participant (n = 9), an unfamiliar person to the participant (n =8), a pleasant image (control 1) (n = 8) or no image (control 2) (n = 8). Stress reactivity, both physical (e.g., blood pressure) and subjective (self-reported anxiety), were measured. Findings indicated that contrary to the hypothesis, viewing a picture of one’s personal pet did not reduce stress reactivity, measured either subjectively (self-report) or objectively (physiological assessment). However, the study suggests that various images can influence stress reactivity.

Download Full-text