The Effects of Choice on Task Performance and Reward Awareness: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Abstract

ABSTRACTProviding a choice is desirable and helpful to learning motivation and task processing. This study explored how choice and achievement goals affect motivation and reward awareness using the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique. Twenty‐four college students participated in this study, in which a 2 × 2 factorial design (choice/no choice × reward/no reward) was used in association with a verbal frequency task involving the selection of the more frequent word between two presented words. In the within‐group analyses, participants showed activation of the medial frontal gyrus in the choice condition regardless of the reward types. The brain activation patterns differed depending on the level of achievement. Overall, providing a choice is beneficial to students in terms of performing a task and processing their reward. It is important to consider an individual's achievement goal when providing choices as a strategy to motivate a learner.