scholarly journals Reward-associated distractors can harm cognitive performance

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorottya Rusz ◽  
Erik Bijleveld
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Impaired Performance ◽  
Monetary Rewards ◽  
Math Task ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Task Irrelevant

When people carry out cognitive tasks, they sometimes suffer from distractions, that is, drops in performance that occur close in time to task-irrelevant stimuli. In this research, we examine how the pursuit of rewards contributes to distractions. In two experiments, participants performed a math task (in which they could earn monetary rewards vs. not) while they were exposed to task-irrelevant stimuli (that were previously associated with monetary rewards vs. not). In Experiment 1, irrelevant cues that were previously associated with rewards (vs. not) impaired performance. In Experiment 2, this effect was only replicated when these reward-associated distractors appeared relatively early during task performance. While the results were thus somewhat mixed, they generally support the idea that reward associations can augment the negative effect of distractors on performance.

Effects of Fatigue on Cognitive Performance in Long-Duration Simulated Flight Missions

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-93
Author(s):  
Eduardo Rosa ◽  
Ola Eiken ◽  
Mikael Grönkvist ◽  
Roger Kölegård ◽  
Nicklas Dahlström ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Fatigue Index ◽  
Fighter Aircraft ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Metacognitive Accuracy

Abstract. Fighter pilots may be exposed to extended flight missions. Consequently, there is increasing concern about fatigue. We investigated the effects of fatigue and cognitive performance in a simulated 11-hr mission in the 39 Gripen fighter aircraft. Five cognitive tasks were used to assess cognitive performance. Fatigue was measured with the Samn–Perelli Fatigue Index. Results showed that performance in the non-executive task degraded after approximately 7 hr. Fatigue ratings showed a matching trend to the performance in this task. Performance in tasks taxing executive functions did not decline. We interpreted that fatigue can be overridden by increased attentional effort for executive tasks but not for non-executive components of cognition. Participants underestimated their performance and metacognitive accuracy was not influenced by fatigue.

scholarly journals Do Reward-Related Distractors Impair Cognitive Performance? Perhaps Not

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorottya Rusz ◽  
Erik Bijleveld ◽  
Michiel A. J. Kompier
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Mental Arithmetic ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Arithmetic Task ◽  
Bayesian Analyses ◽  
Monetary Rewards ◽  
Mental Arithmetic Task ◽  
Task Irrelevant ◽  
Math Problems

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.

Self-Ratings of Past, Present, and Future Cognitive Performance across Adulthood

1994 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen L. Fingerman ◽  
Marion Perlmutter
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Implicit Theories ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Future Performance ◽  
Over Time

Age differences in self-ratings of present and projected past and future cognitive performance were examined across a variety of cognitive domains. Participants ( N = 151) in their twenties, forties, sixties, and eighties completed a battery of cognitive tasks and rated their present performance, likely performance five years ago (past), and projected performance five years hence (future) for each task. Performance on fluid/speeded intelligence, memory, and reasoning tasks followed a progression of poorer performance with age. Age differences in self-assessment of projected past and future performance were found, as were age by time interactions. Self-ratings of participants in their twenties tended to reflect projections of continuing improvement from past to present to future, but self-ratings of participants in older age groups tended to reflect perceptions of increasing decline over time. These findings suggest that age differences in self-ratings of cognitive performance may be related to age specific implicit theories of cognitive development.

scholarly journals The impact of pain on subsequent effort and cognitive performance

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Silvestrini ◽  
Corrado Corradi-Dell'Acqua
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Cardiac Response ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Impaired Performance ◽  
Pain Ratings ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

Theoretical accounts of pain and empirical evidence indicate that pain and cognitive control share common neurocognitive processes. Numerous studies have examined the interactions between pain and cognitive performance when they occur simultaneously, typically showing analgesic effects of task performance and impaired performance due to pain. However, the sequential impact of pain on cognitive control and effort remains less clear. This study investigated the influence of a first task including painful vs. non-painful thermal stimuli on effort-related cardiac response and performance in a subsequent moderately difficult cognitive task. Drawing on the hypothesis that experiencing pain should recruit cognitive resources and reduce perceived ability, we predicted lower task performance and/or stronger compensatory effort in the subsequent cognitive task after the painful than after the non-painful first task. Results support our predictions regarding the effect of pain on subsequent cognitive performance, which was moderately lower after the painful task. However, such a decrease in task proficiency was not associated with a comparable decrease in perceived capacity or increase in effort-related cardiac reactivity. Nevertheless, further correlational analyses indicated that effort mobilization and perceived capacity were significantly related to pain ratings. Moderate pain was associated with stronger effort during the cognitive task whereas high pain led to disengagement, i.e., a low effort. Moreover, in line with our predictions, higher pain ratings were associated with lower self-reported capacity to perform the cognitive task. We discuss these findings regarding the relationship between effort and performance; the impact of fatigue on motivation; and interindividual variability in these after-effects.

Cognitive Function During Low-Intensity Walking: A Test of the Treadmill Workstation

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 752-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon L. Alderman ◽  
Ryan L. Olson ◽  
Diana M. Mattina
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Flanker Task ◽  
Response Speed ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Cognitive Tests ◽  
Low Intensity

Background:The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of walking at self-selected speed on an active workstation on cognitive performance.Methods:Sixty-six participants (n = 27 males, 39 females; mean age = 21.06 ± 1.6 years) completed a treadmill-desk walking and a seated control condition, separated by 48 hours. During each condition, participants completed computerized versions of the Stroop test, a modified flanker task, and a test of reading comprehension.Results:No significant differences in response speed or accuracy were found between walking and sitting conditions for any the cognitive tests.Conclusions:These findings reveal that performance on cognitive tasks, including executive control processes, are not impaired by walking on an active workstation. Implementing active workstations into offices and classrooms may help to decrease sedentariness without impairing task performance.

The Impact of Environmental Stress on Cognitive Performance: A Systematic Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (8) ◽  
pp. 1205-1246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristy Martin ◽  
Emily McLeod ◽  
Julien Périard ◽  
Ben Rattray ◽  
Richard Keegan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Environmental Stress ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Healthy Human ◽  
The Impact

Objective: In this review, we detail the impact of environmental stress on cognitive and military task performance and highlight any individual characteristics or interventions which may mitigate any negative effect. Background: Military personnel are often deployed in regions markedly different from their own, experiencing hot days, cold nights, and trips both above and below sea level. In spite of these stressors, high-level cognitive and operational performance must be maintained. Method: A systematic review of the electronic databases Medline (PubMed), EMBASE (Scopus), PsycINFO, and Web of Science was conducted from inception up to September 2018. Eligibility criteria included a healthy human cohort, an outcome of cognition or military task performance and assessment of an environmental condition. Results: The search returned 113,850 records, of which 124 were included in the systematic review. Thirty-one studies examined the impact of heat stress on cognition; 20 of cold stress; 59 of altitude exposure; and 18 of being below sea level. Conclusion: The severity and duration of exposure to the environmental stressor affects the degree to which cognitive performance can be impaired, as does the complexity of the cognitive task and the skill or familiarity of the individual performing the task. Application: Strategies to improve cognitive performance in extreme environmental conditions should focus on reducing the magnitude of the physiological and perceptual disturbance caused by the stressor. Strategies may include acclimatization and habituation, being well skilled on the task, and reducing sensations of thermal stress with approaches such as head and neck cooling.

scholarly journals How Does Physical Demand Affect Cognitive Performance? Interference Between Outdoor Running And Narrative Memory

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 237-241
Author(s):  
Samantha L. Epling ◽  
Graham K. Edgar ◽  
Paul N. Russell ◽  
William S. Helton
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Real World ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Dual Tasking ◽  
Physical Demand ◽  
Dual Task Paradigm

Dual-tasking situations are common in military, firefighting, search and rescue, and other high risk operations. Cognitive and physical demands can occur at the same time, but little is known about the specific demands of real world tasks or how they might interfere with one another. It is well known that attempting simultaneous tasks will divide and divert attention, but to what extent? In this experiment, a narrative memory task was paired with an outdoor running task, and as expected, memory task performance declined when participants were asked to run at the same time. It is suggested that more cognitively demanding physical tasks be used within this dual-task paradigm for a better understanding of the human cognitive resource structure, i.e., how and why certain tasks interfere.

scholarly journals Associations Between Smoking Abstinence, Inhibitory Control, and Smoking Behavior: An fMRI Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spencer Bell ◽  
Brett Froeliger
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Smoking Behavior ◽  
Smoking Abstinence ◽  
Monetary Rewards ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
The Right ◽  
Post Hoc

Nicotine addiction is associated with dysregulated inhibitory control (IC), mediated by corticothalamic circuitry including the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG). Among sated smokers, worse IC task performance and greater IC-related rIFG activity have been shown to be associated with greater relapse vulnerability. The present study investigated the effects of smoking abstinence on associations between IC task performance, rIFG activation, and smoking behavior. Smokers (N = 26, 15 female) completed an IC task (Go/Go/No-go) during fMRI scanning followed by a laboratory-based smoking relapse analog task (SRT) on two visits: once when sated and once following 24 h of smoking abstinence. During the SRT, smokers were provided with monetary rewards for incrementally delaying smoking. A significant main effect of No-go accuracy on latency to smoke during the SRT was observed when collapsing across smoking states (abstinent vs. sated). Similarly, a significant main effect of IC-related activation in rIFG on SRT performance was observed across states. The main effect of state, however, was non-significant in both of these models. Furthermore, the interaction between smoking state and No-go accuracy on SRT performance was non-significant, indicating a similar relationship between IC and lapse vulnerability under both sated and abstinent conditions. The state X rIFG activation interaction on SRT performance was likewise non-significant. Post-hoc whole brain analyses indicated that abstinence resulted in greater IC-related activity in the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and insula. Activation during IC in these regions was significantly associated with decreased No-go accuracy. Moreover, greater abstinence induced activity in right MFG during IC was associated with smoking sooner on the SRT. These findings are bolstered by the extant literature on the effects of nicotine on executive function and also contribute novel insights on how individual differences in behavioral and neuroimaging measures of IC may influence relapse propensity independent of smoking state.

scholarly journals Impaired cognitive performance under psycho-social stress in cannabis-dependent males is mediated by attenuated precuneus activity

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weihua Zhao ◽  
Kaeli Zimmermann ◽  
Xinqi Zhou ◽  
Feng Zhou ◽  
Meina Fu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Mental Arithmetic ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Impaired Performance ◽  
Social Evaluative Threat ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Stress Task ◽  
Stress Processing ◽  
Stress Responsivity

AbstractBackgroundDeficient regulation of stress plays an important role in the escalation of substance use, addiction and relapse. Accumulating evidence suggests dysregulations in cognitive and reward-related processes and the underlying neural circuitry in cannabis dependence. However, despite the important regulatory role of the endocannabinoid system in the stress response, associations between chronic cannabis use and altered stress processing on the neural level have not been systematically examined.MethodsAgainst this background, the present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)study examined psycho-social stress processing in cannabis-dependent males (n = 28) and matched controls (n = 23) using an established stress-induction paradigm (Montreal Imaging Stress Task) that combines computerized (adaptive) mental arithmetic challenges with social evaluative threat.ResultsDuring psycho-social stress exposure, but not the no-stress condition, cannabis users demonstrated impaired performance relative to controls. In contrast, levels of experienced stress and cardiovascular stress responsivity did not differ from controls. Functional MRI data revealed that stress-induced performance deteriorations in cannabis users were accompanied by decreased precuneus activity and increased connectivity of this region with the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex.LimitationsOnly male cannabis-dependent users were examined, the generalizability in female users remains to be determined.ConclusionTogether, the present findings provide first evidence for exaggerated stress-induced cognitive performance deteriorations in cannabis users. The neural data suggest that deficient stress-related dynamics of the precuneus may mediate the deterioration of performance on the behavioral level.

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