Overall, mental effort felt aversive in different tasks, in different populations, and on different continents; paradoxically, some also love chess or brain teasers

David, Louise, Eliana Vassena, and Erik Bijleveld. 2022. “The Aversiveness of Mental Effort: A Meta-analysis.” PsyArXiv. October 25. psyarxiv.com/m8zf6

Abstract: Influential theories in psychology, neuroscience, and economics assume that the exertion of mental effort should feel aversive. Yet, this assumption is usually untested, and it is challenged by casual observations and previous studies. Here we test (a) whether mental effort is generally experienced as aversive and (b) whether the association between mental effort and aversive feelings depends on population and task characteristics. We meta-analyzed a set of studies (358 tasks, 4670 people) that assessed perceived mental effort and negative affect. As expected, we found a strong positive association between mental effort and negative affect. Surprisingly, just one of our 15 moderators had a significant effect (effort felt somewhat less aversive in studies from Asia vs. Europe and North America). Overall, mental effort felt aversive in different tasks, in different populations, and on different continents. Supporting theories that conceptualize effort as a cost, we suggest that mental effort is inherently aversive.