Disentangling the roles of approach, activation and valence in instrumental and pavlovian responding.

ABSTRACT: Hard-wired, Pavlovian, responses elicited by predictions of rewards and punishments exert significant benevolent and malevolent influences over instrumentally-appropriate actions. These influences come in two main groups, defined along anatomical, pharmacological, behavioural and functional lines. Investigations of the influences have so far concentrated on the groups as a whole; here we take the critical step of looking inside each group, using a detailed reinforcement learning model to distinguish effects to do with value, specific actions, and general activation or inhibition. We show a high degree of sophistication in Pavlovian influences, with appetitive Pavlovian stimuli specifically promoting approach and inhibiting withdrawal, and aversive Pavlovian stimuli promoting withdrawal and

SUBMITTER: Huys QJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3080848 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature