Learning commonly requires feedback about the consequences of one's actions, which can drive learners to modify
their behavior. Motivation may determine how sensitive an individual might be to such feedback, particularly
in educational contexts where some students value academic achievement more than others. Thus, motivation
for a task might influence the value placed on performance feedback and how effectively it is used to improve
learning. To investigate the interplay between intrinsic motivation and feedback processing, we used functional
magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during feedback-based learning before and after a novel manipulation based
on motivational interviewing, a technique for enhancing treatment motivation in mental health settings. Because
of its role in the reinforcement learning system, the striatum is situated to play a significant role in the modulation
of learning based on motivation. Consistent with this idea, motivation levels during the task were associated
with sensitivity to positive versus negative feedback in the striatum. Additionally, heightened motivation following
a brief motivational interview was associated with increases in feedback sensitivity in the left medial temporal
lobe. Our results suggest that motivation modulates neural responses to performance-related feedback, and
furthermore that changes in motivation facilitate processing in areas that support learning and memory.