The effect of perceived effort and perceived control on reward valuation : using the reward positivity to test a dissonance theory prediction

Past psychological theory and research suggest two opposing relationships between effort and reward valuation. Cognitive dissonance theory and research suggest that increased effort is associated with increased reward valuation, whereas theory and research on effort discounting suggest that increased effort is associated with decreased reward valuation. The present study was designed to test these two opposing perspectives, by examining a potential moderator of the relationship between effort and reward valuation – the belief that the effort was necessary to obtain the reward. Results (n = 44) suggested that increased perceptions of effort following a task were associated with larger neural responses to rewards (as assessed by the event-related potential referred to as the reward positivity) when individuals believed that their effort led to the reward but not when they believed that their effort did not lead to the reward. Discussion considers the implications of these results.