Monetary and social reward in motor skill learning

Monetary and social reward both influence human motor learning, yet their relative impact remains unclear, especially in real-world motor skill tasks. While financial incentives like bonuses are commonly used, social rewards, such as praise, are more frequently applied in sports training and motor rehabilitation. This study compares the effects of monetary and social reward on motor skill acquisition, immediate and long-term retention, transfer, and intrinsic motivation in a real-world motor task. Three groups of participants (monetary reward, social reward, no reward) trained on a laser pistol shooting task using their right dominant hand. Participants’ shooting performance was tested before training, immediately after training, and one day later, with both hands tested in a random order without feedback. The Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) was administered after the post-training test on Day 1. Both reward groups demonstrated improved performance compared to the control group during training. The monetary reward group showed superior immediate retention, while the social reward group exhibited offline gains. Additionally, the social reward group reported higher intrinsic motivation than the other groups and outperformed the control group in long-term transfer. Notably, intrinsic motivation levels correlated with long-term transfer. These results underscore a key distinction: while monetary rewards enhance immediate motor performance, social rewards are more effective at promoting long-term performance and intrinsic motivation. This suggests that while both reward types drive motor behavior, they do so through different psychological mechanisms—monetary reward by focusing on immediate results and social reward by fostering a more enduring, intrinsic drive. Our findings provide insights into the mechanisms behind reinforcement effect on motor learning, with significant implications in sports training and motor rehabilitation.