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Toward a Rational and Mechanistic Account of Mental Effort

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Shenhav, Amitai, Musslick, Sebastian, Lieder, Falk, Kool, Wouter, Griffiths, Thomas L., Cohen, Jonathan D., Botvinick, Matthew M.·2017·Annual Review of Neuroscience

DOI 10.1146/annurev-neuro-072116-031526

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Abstract

In spite of its familiar phenomenology, the mechanistic basis for mental effort remains poorly understood. Although most researchers agree that mental effort is aversive and stems from limitations in our capacity to exercise cognitive control, it is unclear what gives rise to those limitations and why they result in an experience of control as costly. The presence of these control costs also raises further questions regarding how best to allocate mental effort to minimize those costs and maximize the attendant benefits. This review explores recent advances in computational modeling and empirical research aimed at addressing these questions at the level of psychological process and neural mechanism, examining both the limitations to mental effort exertion and how we manage those limited cognitive resources. We conclude by identifying remaining challenges for theoretical accounts of mental effort as well as possible applications of the available findings to understanding the causes of and potential solutions for apparent failures to exert the mental effort required of us.

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Authors: Shenhav, A., Musslick, S., Lieder, F., Kool, W., Griffiths, T. L., Cohen, J. D., & Botvinick, M. M.
Affiliations: Brown University (US)
Princeton University (US)
University of California, Berkeley (US)
Harvard University (US)
Google DeepMind (United Kingdom) (GB)
Corresponding author: Shenhav, Amitai
ORCID: Shenhav, Amitai
Musslick, Sebastian
Lieder, Falk
Kool, Wouter
Griffiths, Thomas L.
Cohen, Jonathan D.
Botvinick, Matthew M.
Venue: Annual Review of Neuroscience
Publisher: Annual Reviews
Published: 2017-07-25
Volume: 40
Issue: 1
Pages: 99-124
ISSN: 0147-006X (ISSN-L)
1545-4126
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-072116-031526
OpenAlex: W2600886565
Cited by: 1,077
References: 196
Citations by year: 2026: 124 · 2025: 122 · 2024: 149 · 2023: 117 · 2022: 123 · 2021: 124 · 2020: 112 · 2019: 117 · 2018: 60 · 2017: 23
FWCI: 9.54
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: bronze
doi.org
Locations: Annual Review of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Free Will and Agency
Keywords: cognitive effort, cognitive control, effort cost, cognitive resource allocation, aversive experience, cognitive limitations
MeSH terms: Cognition, Decision Making, Humans, Motivation, Reward, Prefrontal Cortex, Executive Function

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Toward a Rational and Mechanistic Account of Mental Effort

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