Figure 5. External incentive enhances neural responses following errors.

For each participant, neural error (or correct) reactivity was quantified as the difference in neural response (beta coefficients) for trial onsets immediately following errors (or correct responses) and trial onsets for the current trial on which errors (or correct responses) subsequently occurred. (a) A repeated measures ANOVA on the first neural PCA components for error and correct reactivity with two between group factors (Intrinsic: High, Low; Reward: No Reward, Reward) and the within-group factor of trial type (error, correct) revealed a significant interaction (F(1, 33) = 4.29, p = .046; partial η² = 0.12) that was driven by enhanced neural error reactivity in the Reward group (F(1, 36) = 6.26, p = .017; partial η² = 0.15). No effects of Reward or intrinsic motivation were observed for neural correct reactivity. Error bars show standard error of the mean.