{"formatVersion":"1.1","id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss","path":"/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss","title":"The Effort–Reward Paradox","family":"Library detail","description":"Discover the relationship between effort, reward, and loss in this study. Learn how our responses are influenced by the amount of effort we put in, regardless of the outcome.","language":"en-US","access":{"audience":"public","indexable":true},"provenance":{"sourceUrl":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss","wordpressId":"5774","contentCompleteness":"complete","dateScope":"original-source"},"authors":[{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/carrie-steckl#person","name":"Carrie Steckl, Ph.D.","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/carrie-steckl"}],"dates":{"datePublished":"2013-02-15T05:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-11-28T04:47:08Z"},"content":{"html":"

The Effort–Reward Paradox

Written by Carrie Steckl, Ph.D.

Published on · Updated on

Effort and the feelings around gain and loss

Think of something in your life that you worked extremely hard for and got it. Your dream job? A salvaged relationship? An audition for the part that paved your road to success?

Consider how it felt when you got it. Pretty darn good, right? After all, you worked hard for that accomplishment. Maybe you spent years working for it – maybe your whole life. That’s probably why it tastes so sweet when you finally get it.

Now think of something in your life that you wanted in the worst way, worked very hard for it, and came up empty. Admission to the one and only school you wanted to attend? A chance to spend your life with a true love? Maybe even a baby?

Try to remember how it felt when you knew it wasn’t going to happen. Probably pretty awful. Devastating, actually. You spent your time, your energy, and your heart and soul trying to make something happen, and it didn’t. For whatever cruel reason, you suffered a loss instead of a reward.

No wonder we feel such intense emotions after expending great effort for the things we want in life. It turns out that our brains are actually activated in ways that support this notion.

What the brain-imaging study examined

In a fascinating study that appeared in Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience, 28 individuals were provided monetary rewards for correctly completing math problems of varying difficulty. They were also asked to give back some of the money to charity in order to facilitate a “loss.” Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was conducted on the subjects in order to witness brain activity during the process.

The recorded brain activity showed that the subjects were excited about monetary rewards only when the math problems were difficult. Similarly, the subjects were bummed about having to give money away only when the money was earned by completing difficult problems.

In other words, the amount of effort the individuals put into completing the problems seemed to modulate the intensity of their responses, whether or not they experienced a reward or a loss.

Thinking beyond monetary rewards

I liked this study. My only beef with it regards the use of money to facilitate feelings of reward or loss. While money might be a potent motivator for many individuals, I am optimistic that for most of us, much richer rewards exist in life than the mighty dollar.

These include peace, wellness, security, and most of all, love. Gaining or losing these things yields a far greater impact than what was demonstrated in this study.

Still, the authors provided us with a window into the workings of effort, loss, and reward. On a personal note, I can’t help but feel that great effort is often well worth the trouble, regardless of the outcome. In most cases, great effort makes us better people.

\"A

Key takeaways

  • The effort invested in an outcome can influence the emotional intensity of both reward and loss.
  • A laboratory study found stronger responses to monetary gains and losses when the preceding task required greater effort.
  • These findings illuminate effort-related valuation but do not fully capture the complexity of personally meaningful goals.

Source:

Lallement, J. H., Kuss, K., Trautner, P., Weber, B., Falk, A., & Fliessbach, K. (2012). Effort increases sensitivity to reward and loss magnitude in the human brain. Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience, Advance Online Access. DOI: 10.1093/scan/nss147

Subject matter expert

\"\"

Roy Sugarman, Ph.D.

Neuroscience and clinical mental health

View profile

About MentalHealth.com

MentalHealth.com helps people understand themselves, build healthier relationships, and access the right care. We bring together mental health education, diagnostics, and care management to support well-being throughout every phase of life.

\"\"

Author

Carrie Steckl, Ph.D.

Ph.D.

Carrie Steckl, Ph.D. is a writer with experience as a non-profit professional, college instructor, mental health clinician, and Alzheimer's advocate.

Published
Updated
\"\"

Related community

Emotional Health

Explore feelings, self-awareness, and the emotional experiences that shape everyday life.

","text":"Home Library Psychology The Effort–Reward Paradox The Effort–Reward Paradox Written by Carrie Steckl, Ph.D. Published on February 15, 2013 · Updated on November 28, 2025 Effort and the feelings around gain and loss Think of something in your life that you worked extremely hard for and got it. Your dream job? A salvaged relationship? An audition for the part that paved your road to success? Consider how it felt when you got it. Pretty darn good, right? After all, you worked hard for that accomplishment. Maybe you spent years working for it – maybe your whole life. That’s probably why it tastes so sweet when you finally get it. Now think of something in your life that you wanted in the worst way, worked very hard for it, and came up empty. Admission to the one and only school you wanted to attend? A chance to spend your life with a true love? Maybe even a baby? Try to remember how it felt when you knew it wasn’t going to happen. Probably pretty awful. Devastating, actually. You spent your time, your energy, and your heart and soul trying to make something happen, and it didn’t. For whatever cruel reason, you suffered a loss instead of a reward. No wonder we feel such intense emotions after expending great effort for the things we want in life. It turns out that our brains are actually activated in ways that support this notion. What the brain-imaging study examined In a fascinating study that appeared in Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience, 28 individuals were provided monetary rewards for correctly completing math problems of varying difficulty. They were also asked to give back some of the money to charity in order to facilitate a “loss.” Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was conducted on the subjects in order to witness brain activity during the process. The recorded brain activity showed that the subjects were excited about monetary rewards only when the math problems were difficult. Similarly, the subjects were bummed about having to give money away only when the money was earned by completing difficult problems. In other words, the amount of effort the individuals put into completing the problems seemed to modulate the intensity of their responses, whether or not they experienced a reward or a loss. Thinking beyond monetary rewards I liked this study. My only beef with it regards the use of money to facilitate feelings of reward or loss. While money might be a potent motivator for many individuals, I am optimistic that for most of us, much richer rewards exist in life than the mighty dollar. These include peace, wellness, security, and most of all, love. Gaining or losing these things yields a far greater impact than what was demonstrated in this study. Still, the authors provided us with a window into the workings of effort, loss, and reward. On a personal note, I can’t help but feel that great effort is often well worth the trouble, regardless of the outcome. In most cases, great effort makes us better people. Key takeaways The effort invested in an outcome can influence the emotional intensity of both reward and loss. A laboratory study found stronger responses to monetary gains and losses when the preceding task required greater effort. These findings illuminate effort-related valuation but do not fully capture the complexity of personally meaningful goals. Source: Lallement, J. H., Kuss, K., Trautner, P., Weber, B., Falk, A., & Fliessbach, K. (2012). Effort increases sensitivity to reward and loss magnitude in the human brain. Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience, Advance Online Access. DOI: 10.1093/scan/nss147 Subject matter expert Roy Sugarman, Ph.D. Neuroscience and clinical mental health View profile About MentalHealth.com MentalHealth.com helps people understand themselves, build healthier relationships, and access the right care. We bring together mental health education, diagnostics, and care management to support well-being throughout every phase of life. Author Carrie Steckl, Ph.D. Ph.D. Carrie Steckl, Ph.D. is a writer with experience as a non-profit professional, college instructor, mental health clinician, and Alzheimer's advocate. Published February 15, 2013 Updated November 28, 2025 Related community Emotional Health Explore feelings, self-awareness, and the emotional experiences that shape everyday life. Table of contentsChoose a section Effort and the feelings around gain and loss What the brain-imaging study examined Thinking beyond monetary rewards View more","wordCount":717},"schema":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/#organization","name":"MentalHealth.com","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/","publishingPrinciples":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/publishing/editorial-policy"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/#website","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/","name":"MentalHealth.com","inLanguage":"en-US","publisher":{"@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/#organization"}},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Library","item":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Psychology","item":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/psychology"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"The Effort–Reward Paradox","item":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss"}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#primaryimage","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/assets/optimized/9ff3167d37c44ccdf0667c48.webp","contentUrl":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/assets/optimized/9ff3167d37c44ccdf0667c48.webp","width":1200,"height":800,"encodingFormat":"image/webp","caption":"A person holds a ring between their fingers."},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/carrie-steckl#person","name":"Carrie Steckl, Ph.D.","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/carrie-steckl","jobTitle":"Ph.D.","image":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/assets/optimized/4343dfa2dec7e9f187121260.jpg","sameAs":["https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriesteckl/"],"memberOf":[{"@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/publishing#department"}]},{"@type":"Article","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#article","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss","headline":"The Effort–Reward Paradox","description":"Discover the relationship between effort, reward, and loss in this study. Learn how our responses are influenced by the amount of effort we put in, regardless of the outcome.","wordCount":576,"mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#webpage"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/#organization"},"articleSection":"Psychology","inLanguage":"en-US","author":[{"@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/carrie-steckl#person"}],"image":{"@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#primaryimage"},"about":{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/psychology#topic","name":"Psychology"},"citation":[],"datePublished":"2013-02-15T05:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-11-28T04:47:08Z"},{"@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#webpage","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss","name":"The Effort–Reward Paradox","description":"Discover the relationship between effort, reward, and loss in this study. Learn how our responses are influenced by the amount of effort we put in, regardless of the outcome.","inLanguage":"en-US","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/psychology#webpage"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":{"@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#article"},"relatedLink":["https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/early-childhood-cognitive-development-symbolic-function","https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/understanding-moral-development","https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/early-childhood-development","https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/early-childhood-gender-identity-sexuality","https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/frailty-is-not-a-normal-part-of-aging-3-ways-to-age-well","https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/roy-sugarman"],"publisher":{"@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/#organization"},"medicalAudience":{"@type":"MedicalAudience","audienceType":"General public"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#primaryimage"},"about":{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/psychology#topic","name":"Psychology"},"citation":[],"datePublished":"2013-02-15T05:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-11-28T04:47:08Z"}]},"representations":{"html":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss","json":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/data/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss.json","jsonLd":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/data/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss.ld.json"},"$schema":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/data/page.schema.json","images":[{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/assets/optimized/9ff3167d37c44ccdf0667c48.webp","alt":"A person holds a ring between their fingers.","width":1200,"height":800},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/assets/optimized/7ff1067904bc3b3ec0bfb453.jpg","alt":"","width":64,"height":64},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/assets/optimized/4343dfa2dec7e9f187121260.jpg","alt":"","width":64,"height":64},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/assets/optimized/2fb1cba1bd2172792e933c1c.webp","alt":"","width":1200,"height":600}],"sections":[{"id":"effort-and-the-feelings-around-gain-and-loss","title":"Effort and the feelings around gain and loss","level":2,"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#effort-and-the-feelings-around-gain-and-loss"},{"id":"what-the-brain-imaging-study-examined","title":"What the brain-imaging study examined","level":2,"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#what-the-brain-imaging-study-examined"},{"id":"thinking-beyond-monetary-rewards","title":"Thinking beyond monetary rewards","level":2,"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#thinking-beyond-monetary-rewards"},{"id":"key-takeaways","title":"Key takeaways","level":2,"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#key-takeaways"},{"id":"source","title":"Source:","level":2,"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#source"}],"references":[],"relatedReading":[],"links":[{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/","label":"Home"},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library","label":"Library"},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/psychology","label":"Psychology"},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/carrie-steckl","label":"Carrie Steckl, Ph.D."},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/two-powerful-ways-to-reduce-emotional-arousal","label":"intense emotions"},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/roy-sugarman","label":""},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/roy-sugarman","label":"Roy Sugarman, Ph.D."},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/roy-sugarman","label":"View profile"},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/carrie-steckl","label":""},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/carrie-steckl","label":"Carrie Steckl, Ph.D."},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/community/emotional-health","label":""},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/community/emotional-health","label":"Emotional Health"},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#effort-and-the-feelings-around-gain-and-loss","label":"Effort and the feelings around gain and loss"},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#what-the-brain-imaging-study-examined","label":"What the brain-imaging study examined"},{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss#thinking-beyond-monetary-rewards","label":"Thinking beyond monetary rewards"}],"seo":{"title":"Why Effort Makes Rewards and Losses Feel More Intense","description":"Discover the relationship between effort, reward, and loss in this study. Learn how our responses are influenced by the amount of effort we put in, regardless of the outcome.","canonical":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss","robots":"index,follow","socialImage":{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/assets/optimized/ec9b0cb47c0207d45e88634d.png","width":1200,"height":630,"alt":"MentalHealth.com — Library","type":"image/png","sitemapGroup":"library"}},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/"},{"name":"Library","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library"},{"name":"Psychology","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/psychology"},{"name":"The Effort–Reward Paradox","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/the-greater-the-effort-the-sweeter-the-reward-and-the-harder-the-loss"}],"subjectMatterExpert":{"name":"Dr. Roy Sugarman","url":"/people/roy-sugarman","profileId":"10097","topic":"learning","focus":"Neuroscience and clinical mental health","selectionBasis":"Documented expertise in the existing published profile","reviewAttribution":false},"keyTakeaways":["The effort invested in an outcome can influence the emotional intensity of both reward and loss.","A laboratory study found stronger responses to monetary gains and losses when the preceding task required greater effort.","These findings illuminate effort-related valuation but do not fully capture the complexity of personally meaningful goals."],"navigation":[{"label":"Effort and the feelings around gain and loss","href":"#effort-and-the-feelings-around-gain-and-loss","heading":"Effort and the feelings around gain and loss"},{"label":"What the brain-imaging study examined","href":"#what-the-brain-imaging-study-examined","heading":"What the brain-imaging study examined"},{"label":"Thinking beyond monetary rewards","href":"#thinking-beyond-monetary-rewards","heading":"Thinking beyond monetary rewards"}],"relatedCommunity":{"community":"/community/emotional-health","basis":"topic match"},"reviewer":null,"introduction":null,"collections":[]}