The Effects of Rewards on Trial-and-Error Learning in School-Aged Children

Humans’ ability to rapidly identify appropriate actions in new situations is critical for functional behavior. This skill develops through trial-and-error where humans learn to choose the optimal actions through rewards from previous acts. Here, we used computerised games to test developmental changes in how rewards affect trial-and-error learning. School-aged children (5- to 15-year-olds) played online games while receiving either positive rewards, negative rewards, or no rewards. We tested how the groups differed in performance and play strategy. Children in the Negative-Rewards group showed significant improvement with age—they succeeded more, had fewer attempts, and applied more efficient strategies. We did not find similar developmental trends in the other groups. Our findings demonstrate a developmental shift in how rewards affect trial-and-error and suggest that negative rewards emerge as a powerful cognitive reinforcer during late childhood.