Abstract

Objectives

This study sought to assess how framing effects modulate age-related differences in effort-based decision-making. Consistent with the selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) model’s loss prevention account of aging, we predicted that older adults would be more willing to select high-effort options in loss contexts than gain contexts.

Method

Older and younger adults completed the effort expenditure for rewards task (EEfRT) in either a gain or loss context. The EEfRT is an effort-based decision-making paradigm in which participants choose between a low-effort, “easy” option and a high-effort, “hard” option for several trials. The probability and value of an outcome varies on a trial-by-trial basis.

Results

The results supported our prediction and the SOC model. Older adults chose more high-effort, difficult options in loss frames than gain frames. Older adults also chose more low-effort, easy options than younger adults in gain contexts, but did not differ from younger adults in loss contexts.

Discussion

These findings demonstrate that framing effects impact older adults’ effort-based decisions. Older adults appear willing to incur a greater “cost” in the form of effort to prevent a loss than to attain a reward.

中文翻译：

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努力赢还是不输？与基于工作量的决策制定框架效果的年龄相关差异。

摘要

目标

这项研究试图评估成帧效应如何调节基于努力的决策中与年龄相关的差异。与选择，优化和补偿（SOC）模型对衰老的损失预防帐户一致，我们预测，与在损失情况下相比，老年人在损失情况下更愿意选择努力的选择。

方法

不论年龄大小，成年人都在获得或损失的情况下完成了奖励任务的精力支出（EEfRT）。EEfRT是一种基于工作量的决策模式，参与者可以在多个试验中选择“省力”，“轻松”选项和“高强度”，“困难”选项。结果的可能性和价值在每个试验的基础上有所不同。

结果

结果支持了我们的预测和SOC模型。老年人在损失框架中选择了比努力框架更多的努力，困难的选择。在收益的背景下，老年人也比年轻人选择更多的省力，容易的选择，但在损失的情况下与年轻人没有区别。

讨论区

这些发现表明，成帧效应会影响老年人基于工作量的决策。老年人似乎愿意付出更多的“代价”，即努力预防损失而不是获得报酬。