Reward, risk and value-based choice tasks

Options differing in reward magnitude, probability, delay or effort are chosen between, or a cue announces a potential reward before a speeded response; choice curves and anticipatory responses are the measures.

This family contains 6 tasks.

Balloon Analog Risk

Sequential pumping of a virtual balloon for monetary reward with stochastic popping; average pumps per un-popped balloon indexes risk-taking. Engages 5 processesRisk processingValue-based decision makingReward anticipationApproach motivationResponse inhibition. 3 aliasesBARTBalloon TaskBalloon Analog Risk, 7 variationsStandard BART (30 balloons)BART-Y (Youth Version)Variable Explosion ProbabilityHigh-Stakes vs. Low-StakesSocial Context BARTAutomatic BARTBART with Loss Domain.

Delay Discounting

Repeated choices between smaller-sooner and larger-later rewards at varying delays; indifference points estimate a temporal discount function. Engages 5 processesDelay discountingIntertemporal choiceValuationValue-based decision makingResponse inhibition. 2 aliasesTemporal DiscountingDelay of Gratification, 10 variationsAdjusting-Amount MethodAdjusting-Delay Method5-Trial Adjusting DelayFixed-Choice Discrete TrialsMagnitude ManipulationReal vs. Hypothetical RewardsExperiential Discounting TaskGain vs. Loss FramingProbabilistic DiscountingCross-Commodity Discounting.

Effort-Based Decision-Making

Participants choose between a low-effort/low-reward option and a high-effort/high-reward option on each trial; the indifference point indexes effort discounting and motivational willingness to exert effort for reward. Engages 5 processesEffort allocationValuationReward anticipationApproach motivationValue-based decision making. 5 aliasesEEfRTEffort Expenditure for Rewards TaskEffort Discounting TaskEffort-Cost ParadigmEffort Choice Task, 7 variationsEEfRT (Physical Effort)Cognitive Effort DiscountingGrip-Force Effort TaskEffort Discounting TitrationProgressive Ratio TaskDemand Selection TaskApple-Gathering Task.

Iowa Gambling

Repeated choices among four decks with hidden reward and loss distributions; preference shift toward advantageous decks indexes affective decision making. Engages 6 processesValue-based decision makingReinforcement learningRisk processingReward prediction errorApproach motivationEmotion regulation. 2 aliasesIGTIowa Gambling, 6 variationsStandard IGTSoochow Gambling Task (SGT)Child VersionsExtended IGT (150–200 trials)IGT with Explicit ProbabilitiesModified Payoff Variants.

Monetary Incentive Delay

Cue predicts potential monetary gain or loss; speeded target response determines outcome. Striatal activity to cues indexes reward anticipation. Engages 4 processesReward anticipationIncentive salienceApproach motivationResponse execution. 2 aliasesMIDMonetary Incentive Delay, 6 variationsStandard MID (Knutson)Graded Reward MIDMID with Social RewardsMID with Drug CuesPassive MIDMID with Effort Component.

Social Incentive Delay

MID variant in which cues predict potential social (smiling/frowning face) rather than monetary outcomes; indexes social reward anticipation. Engages 4 processesReward anticipationSocial perceptionIncentive salienceApproach motivation. 2 aliasesSIDSocial Incentive Delay, 5 variationsStandard SID (Smiling Face Reward)SID with Personalized Social StimuliSID vs. MID within-SubjectsSID with Graded Social RewardSID with Real Social Interaction.