How effort affects perceived outcome value

What is it about?

Our study explored how the effort required to obtain an outcome changes how much we value it. We found that effort's impact isn't straightforward: anticipated future effort tends to decrease an outcome's value, while reflecting on past effort tends to increase its value. We also observed significant individual differences; some people consistently value effortful outcomes more, some less, and others show complex, shifting preferences depending on the level of effort demanded.

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Photo by Mohammad Bagher Adib Behrooz on Unsplash

Photo by Mohammad Bagher Adib Behrooz on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This work reveals the complex, dynamic nature of how effort influences value. Two key findings are: 1) The timing of evaluation (before vs. after effort) significantly changes whether effort adds or subtracts value, and 2) Individuals show diverse and sometimes non-linear responses to effort. Our model accounts for this complexity, providing a more nuanced framework for understanding choices influenced by effort, which is relevant across many fields.