How the Brain Translates Money into Force: a Neuroimaging Study of Subliminal Motivation

Overview

Journal Science

Specialty Science

Date 2007 Apr 14

PMID 17431137

Citations 217

Authors

Mathias Pessiglione

Liane Schmidt

Bogdan Draganski

Raffael Kalisch

Hakwan Lau

Ray J Dolan

Chris D Frith

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Unconscious motivation in humans is often inferred but rarely demonstrated empirically. We imaged motivational processes, implemented in a paradigm that varied the amount and reportability of monetary rewards for which subjects exerted physical effort. We show that, even when subjects cannot report how much money is at stake, they nevertheless deploy more force for higher amounts. Such a motivational effect is underpinned by engagement of a specific basal forebrain region. Our findings thus reveal this region as a key node in brain circuitry that enables expected rewards to energize behavior, without the need for the subjects;awareness.

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