Abstract
Previous studies suggest that memory encoding is enhanced when people are anticipating a potential reward, consistent with the idea that dopaminergic systems that respond to motivationally relevant information also enhance memory for that information. In the current study, we examined how anticipating and receiving rewards versus losses affect incidental learning of information. In addition, we compared the modulatory effects of reward anticipation and outcome on memory for younger and older adults. Forty-two younger (aged 18–33 years) and 44 older (aged 66–92 years) adults played a game involving pressing a button as soon as they saw a target. Gain trials began with a cue that they would win $0.25 if they pressed the button fast enough, loss trials began with a cue that they would avoid losing $0.25 if they pressed the button fast enough, and no-outcome trials began with a cue indicating no monetary outcome. The target was a different photo-object on each trial (e.g., balloon, dolphin) and performance outcomes were displayed after the photo disappeared. Both younger and older adults recalled and recognized pictures from trials with positive outcomes (either rewarding or loss avoiding) better than from trials with negative outcomes. Positive outcomes were associated with not only enhanced memory for the picture just seen in that trial, but also with enhanced memory for the pictures shown in the next two trials. Although anticipating a reward also enhanced incidental memory, this effect was seen only in recognition memory of positive pictures and was a smaller effect than the outcome effect. The fact that older adults showed similar incidental memory effects of reward anticipation and outcome as younger adults suggests that reward–memory system interactions remain intact in older age.
Highlights
Most of what we experience everyday is quickly forgotten, if it is even encoded in the first place
Previous studies suggest that memory encoding is enhanced when people are anticipating a potential reward, consistent with the idea that dopaminergic systems that respond to motivationally relevant information enhance memory for that information
The fact that older adults showed similar incidental memory effects of reward anticipation and outcome as younger adults suggests that reward–memory system interactions remain intact in older age
Summary
Most of what we experience everyday is quickly forgotten, if it is even encoded in the first place. The human brain is remarkably effective at learning about things that matter. Our memory systems rely on a variety of signals to distinguish things that matter from things that do not, such as the probability of encountering information again given the pattern of previous exposure to that information (Anderson and Schooler, 2000; Kornell et al, 2010) or levels of arousal during learning (Mather and Sutherland, 2011). Recent work has started to examine whether receiving or anticipating a reward is another factor that modulates memory encoding and consolidation processes. Prioritizing memory encoding for information learned around the time of receiving a reward could have utility. It may be useful to remember what one did or saw just before obtaining a positive outcome in order to replicate the outcome in the future
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