Inhibitory control, a key modulatory component of cognition guiding strategy and behaviour, can be affected by diverse contingencies. We explore here the effect of expectation of reward over behavioural adjustment in a Stop Signal Task modulated by reward. We hypothesize that cognitive control is modulated by different expectation of the reward. Participants were allocated to two groups differing in their degree of knowledge in what to expect from rewards. Expected Specific Reward participants (N = 21) were informed of the different monetary feedbacks they would receive after each successful inhibition. Unexpected Reward participants (N = 24) were only told that they would receive monetary reward after correct inhibitory trials, but not the amounts or differences. Our results confirmed previous observations demonstrating a “kick-start effect” where a high reward feedback at the beginning of the task increases response inhibition. The Expected Specific Reward condition seems also to improve inhibitory control -as measured by the stop signal reaction time (SSRT)-, compared to the Unexpected Reward group. Knowledge of reward magnitudes seems to play a role in cognitive control irrespective of feedback magnitude. The manipulation of reward expectation appears to trigger different strategies for cognitive control, inducing a bottom-up effect of external cues, or a top-down effect given by the anticipation of incoming rewards. This is an early exploration to unearth possible higher order modulators - expectation and motivation- of cognitive control. This approach aims to gain insight into diverse psychopathological conditions related to impulsivity and altered reward systems such as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), personality disorders, substance abuse, pathological gambling and cognitive aspects of Parkinson Disease.

中文翻译：

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奖励预期差异调节执行抑制

抑制控制是认知指导策略和行为的关键调节组成部分，可能会受到多种意外事件的影响。我们在这里探讨奖励预期对奖励调节的停止信号任务中行为调整的影响。我们假设认知控制是由不同的奖励期望来调节的。参与者被分配到两组，他们对奖励的期望程度不同。预期特定奖励参与者（N = 21）被告知每次成功抑制后他们将收到的不同金钱反馈。意外奖励参与者 (N = 24) 仅被告知他们在正确的抑制试验后将获得金钱奖励，但没有告知金额或差异。我们的结果证实了之前的观察结果，证明了“启动效应”，即任务开始时的高奖励反馈会增加反应抑制。与意外奖励组相比，预期特定奖励条件似乎也改善了抑制控制（通过停止信号反应时间（SSRT）测量）。无论反馈大小如何，奖励大小的知识似乎在认知控制中发挥着作用。对奖励期望的操纵似乎会触发不同的认知控制策略，引起外部线索的自下而上的效应，或由对即将到来的奖励的预期产生的自上而下的效应。这是挖掘认知控制可能的高阶调节器（期望和动机）的早期探索。这种方法旨在深入了解与冲动和奖励系统改变相关的各种精神病理状况，例如注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）、人格障碍、药物滥用、病理性赌博和帕金森病的认知方面。