The enhancing effect of social reward on inhibitory control in smokers: Evidence from behaviour and ERP studies

OBJECTIVE: Prior research has revealed impaired inhibitory control as a pivotal factor contributing to smokers' struggle to control smoking impulses. However, few studies focus on enhancing smokers' inhibitory control. This study investigates the potential of social rewards to bolster inhibitory control among smokers and elucidates the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: In Experiment 1, a reward-based Go/Nogo paradigm assessed error rates and reaction times for 30 smokers exposed to social reward and neutral feedback in distinct contexts (smoking-related and neutral). Experiment 2 used a modified paradigm, incorporating cognitive load manipulation, to investigate error rates, reaction times, N2, and P3 ERPs among 32 smokers facing social reward and neutral feedback under different cognitive loads (high and low). RESULTS: Smokers exhibit lower Nogo error rates with social reward feedback; higher error rates occur with smoking cues and high cognitive load; increased N2, P3 amplitudes under social reward versus neutral feedback; low cognitive load enhances P3 amplitude under social reward. CONCLUSION: Social reward improves smokers' inhibitory control, but this effect weakens with exposure to smoking cues; higher cognitive load further diminishes the enhancement of smokers' inhibitory control by social reward under smoking cues.