Investigating the effect of competition on cognitive performance : a study based on neural and behavioral experiments

Abstract

Competition is a significant factor that has a strong impact on cognitive performance and complex human behavior in both positive and negative ways. To study the impact of competition on our cognitive system that can bear relevant insight into real-life scenarios, we need to identify a complex cognitive task that resembles essential components of real-life activity. Reinforcement learning is a suitable paradigm in this case because it contains the components of inferential learning, trial-and-error learning, reasoning, reward processing, and several basic cognitive processes that highly resemble complex learning and adaptive behavior in real life. Therefore, it is highly relevant to study the effect of competition on performance in reinforcement learning and how the effect can be explained by the relationship between elementary cognitive abilities and reinforcement learning. Therefore, using a combination of behavioral and neuro-physiological methods, this thesis aimed to explore the impact of competition on cognitive performance concerning both basic functions of attention, working memory, and reasoning, and complex cognition as embodied in reinforcement learning. Eight-six participants were recruited and separated into two groups: a competition group, where they competed against a virtual opponent while performing the cognitive tasks, and a non-competition (normal) group, where they performed the tasks alone. Results showed that competition significantly impacts elementary cognitive tasks relevant to reinforcement learning. We observed a significant reduction in the final score of working-memory task but non-significant reduction in the other elementary tasks. In addition, we found that competition did not significantly changes the heart-rate variability (HRV) parameters during elementary and complex cognitive tasks. Regarding reinforcement learning task, competition significantly increased the effect of reward on P3 amplitude (a brain activity component representing high-level cognitive processing). Furthermore, we observed a descriptive but non-significant differentiation of frontal theta between rewards and penalties due to competition. Regarding the correlations between the tasks, the findings revealed several significant correlations between reinforcement learning and elementary cognitive functions. The results showed a significant negative correlation between reinforcement learning and attention, as indicated by the P3 component of the event-related potential (ERP). Additionally, the normal group participants showed a negative correlation between the feedback-related negativity (FRN) component during reinforcement learning and the N2 component of the ERP in the 2-back working memory task. However, this correlation disappeared in the competition group. The analysis of frontal theta revealed that reinforcement learning exhibited a positive correlation with inhibitory attention and a negative correlation with working memory performance. Interestingly, the competition group showed that reinforcement learning was no longer significantly correlated with performance in the 1-back task but still significantly correlated with inhibitory attention, indicating that the competitive context may influence the association between reinforcement learning and various basic cognitive processes. Although we observed a significant correlation between reinforcement learning and two elementary cognitive processes (attention and working memory) based on neurophysiological data, we found no correlation with reasoning. Altogether, the findings suggest that competition significantly impacts both underlying elementary cognitive processes (working-memory and attention) and reinforcement learning, which has practical implications for research in human cognitive enhancement.