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107
Reward modulation of cognitive function: aging
Reward e ect on task switching
Age (years)
(SAT)
A
r = - 0.368,
p
< 0.001 *
-1
0
1
2
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
high reward - low reward
(SAT)
Age (years)
Reward e ect in repeat condition
Reward e ect in switch condition
Age (years)
reward-related increase in speed-over-accuracy
reward-related decrease in speed-over-accuracy
r = 0.311,
p
< 0.001 *
r = - 0.367,
p
< 0.001 *
B
0
1
10
30
50
70
-1
-1
0
1
10
30
50
70
high (switch - repeat) - low (switch - repeat)
Figure 5.2
Effects of Reward on Task switching as function of Age
A:
The effect of a high versus low reward on task switching correlated negatively with age, with reduced
reward-related changes in task-switching as participants are older.
B:
Breaking down this negative correlation between Age, Reward, and Task switching (in A) for repeat
and switch trials revealed opposite age-related changes in the reward effect on repeat and switch trials.
Whereas younger participants showed a reward-related decrease in speed-over-accuracy on repeat trials
(left) and a reward-related increase in speed-over-accuracy on switch trials (right), this difference was
abolished with increasing age.
* Regression lines indicate the Pearson correlation (N = 118), statistics are Spearman correlations.