TY - JOUR
T1 - Tracking the pressure :
T2 - the effect of monetary incentives on effort, emotions, and performance
AU - Castro Carlín, Juan Francisco
AU - Yamada Fukusaki, Gustavo Adolfo
AU - Contreras, Hans
AU - Linares, Freddy
AU - Watson, Herwig
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021. American Psychological Association
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Studies have shown that monetary incentives can trigger more effort but can end up hindering performance and that emotions affect performance. However, very few studies have empirically evaluated the incentive–performance relation by estimating the effect of a monetary reward on all three outcomes: effort, emotions, and performance. We estimate the effect of providing a monetary incentive on the cognitive effort, emotions, and performance of a group of university students while solving a mathematics and logical reasoning test. We evaluate the hypothesis that a monetary reward can trigger an emotional response that counteracts the positive effect of increased effort on performance. We use an eye tracker and a facial recognition algorithm to provide direct and objective measures of participants’ effort and emotional response while solving the task. On average, we find that the incentive produces more cognitive effort, induces feelings of surprise and fear, and fails to improve performance. We allow the effect of the incentive to vary according to the participant’s Grade Point Average (GPA) and find that those in the bottom 80% of the GPA distribution responded with the same additional effort as those in the top 20%. However, different from those in the top 20%, those in the bottom 80% experienced a decline in performance that coincided with a shift in anger, surprise, and fear. Overall, these results provide strong evidence consistent with our hypothesis.
AB - Studies have shown that monetary incentives can trigger more effort but can end up hindering performance and that emotions affect performance. However, very few studies have empirically evaluated the incentive–performance relation by estimating the effect of a monetary reward on all three outcomes: effort, emotions, and performance. We estimate the effect of providing a monetary incentive on the cognitive effort, emotions, and performance of a group of university students while solving a mathematics and logical reasoning test. We evaluate the hypothesis that a monetary reward can trigger an emotional response that counteracts the positive effect of increased effort on performance. We use an eye tracker and a facial recognition algorithm to provide direct and objective measures of participants’ effort and emotional response while solving the task. On average, we find that the incentive produces more cognitive effort, induces feelings of surprise and fear, and fails to improve performance. We allow the effect of the incentive to vary according to the participant’s Grade Point Average (GPA) and find that those in the bottom 80% of the GPA distribution responded with the same additional effort as those in the top 20%. However, different from those in the top 20%, those in the bottom 80% experienced a decline in performance that coincided with a shift in anger, surprise, and fear. Overall, these results provide strong evidence consistent with our hypothesis.
KW - Cognitive effort
KW - Emotions
KW - Eye tracking
KW - Monetary incentives
KW - Performance
UR - https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2022-13108-002
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85122450209&partnerID=8YFLogxK Publicación en Scopus
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85122450209&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/3ece198a-3a24-3f1a-a45d-4a4487f8a25e/
U2 - 10.1037/npe0000148
DO - 10.1037/npe0000148
M3 - Article in a journal
SN - 1937-321X
VL - 14
SP - 234
EP - 258
JO - Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics
JF - Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics
IS - 4
ER -