Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Reinforcement Schedules01:24

Reinforcement Schedules

Positive reinforcement is a powerful method for teaching new behaviors to both animals and humans. B.F. Skinner demonstrated this with his experiments using rats in a Skinner box. When a rat pressed a lever, it received a food pellet. This immediate reward encouraged the rat to repeat the behavior. This method, where a reward follows every instance of the behavior, is known as continuous reinforcement. It is highly effective for establishing new behaviors quickly.
Once a behavior is learned,...
Reinforcement01:23

Reinforcement

Positive and negative reinforcement are key concepts in operant conditioning, a learning process where the consequences of a behavior affect the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.
Positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior is followed by the presentation of a rewarding stimulus, increasing the frequency of that behavior. For example:
Fixed Action Patterns01:06

Fixed Action Patterns

A fixed action pattern (FAP) is a specific, hard-wired sequence of behaviors that occurs in response to an external stimulus, called a sign stimulus. The behavior is “fixed” because it is essentially unchangeable—proceeding similarly across individuals of a species every time it occurs.
Behaviorism01:28

Behaviorism

The field of behaviorism was pioneered by figures such as Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B.F. Skinner fundamentally shifted the focus of psychology to the observable and controllable aspects of human and animal behavior. This shift marked a critical evolution in the discipline, emphasizing scientific rigor and experimental methodology.
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...
Introduction to Learning01:18

Introduction to Learning

Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge or skills through practice or experience, leading to long-lasting behavioral changes. This acquisition occurs through interaction with the environment and requires practice or experience. For instance, mastering a skill such as surfing requires considerable practice and experience, highlighting the essential role of repeated interactions with the environment in learning.
In contrast to learned behaviors, unlearned behaviors such as crying, sexual...
Generalization, Discrimination, and Extinction01:24

Generalization, Discrimination, and Extinction

Generalization, discrimination, and extinction are key concepts in operant conditioning that influence how behaviors are learned and maintained.
Generalization occurs when a behavior reinforced in one context is performed in similar situations. For instance, a student who studies diligently for calculus and receives excellent grades might apply the same study habits to psychology and history, expecting similar results. Generalization shows how learning in one setting can influence behavior in...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The control of goal-directed actions by nutrient-specific appetites and rewards.

Appetite·2026
Same author

The influence of nucleus accumbens shell D1 and D2 neurons on outcome-specific Pavlovian instrumental transfer.

eLife·2025
Same author

Unilateral Stimulation of the Dorsolateral Striatum Attenuates Goal-Directed Action.

The European journal of neuroscience·2025
Same author

Response-independent outcome presentations dissociate stimulus and value based choice.

Neurobiology of learning and memory·2024
Same author

A ventral pallidal-thalamocortical circuit mediates the cognitive control of instrumental action.

Current biology : CB·2024
Same author

What Role Does Striatal Dopamine Play in Goal-directed Action?

Neuroscience·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats
09:12

Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats

Published on: March 17, 2019

Habits, action sequences and reinforcement learning.

Amir Dezfouli1, Bernard W Balleine

  • 1Brain & Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia.

The European Journal of Neuroscience
|April 11, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study proposes a new model for understanding habitual actions in instrumental conditioning. By reconceptualizing habits as action sequences, model-based reinforcement learning (RL) can explain both goal-directed and habitual behaviors.

More Related Videos

Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats
06:57

Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats

Published on: February 4, 2016

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning
11:20

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning

Published on: June 2, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 23, 2026

Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats
09:12

Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats

Published on: March 17, 2019

Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats
06:57

Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats

Published on: February 4, 2016

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning
11:20

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning

Published on: June 2, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Behavioral neuroscience
  • Computational neuroscience
  • Reinforcement learning

Background:

  • Instrumental actions are categorized as goal-directed or habitual.
  • Goal-directed actions are outcome-regulated, while habitual actions are stimulus-elicited.
  • Current models, like model-free reinforcement learning (RL), struggle to fully explain habitual behavior, particularly its insensitivity to outcome changes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a unified framework for understanding both goal-directed and habitual actions within instrumental conditioning.
  • To demonstrate that model-based RL can account for habitual actions without requiring a separate model-free RL controller.
  • To generate novel experimental predictions for habit research.

Main Methods:

  • Reconceptualizing habitual actions as action sequences.
  • Applying a model-based reinforcement learning (RL) framework to explain habit formation.
  • Analyzing the consistency of the proposed model with observed animal behavior.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated that model-based RL can successfully account for habitual actions when conceptualized as action sequences.
  • Showed that a separate model-free RL controller is unnecessary for explaining habits in instrumental conditioning.
  • The proposed model aligns with empirical observations of animal behavior.

Conclusions:

  • Habits can be explained within a model-based reinforcement learning (RL) framework by viewing them as action sequences.
  • This reconceptualization offers a more parsimonious and unified explanation for instrumental actions.
  • The findings necessitate a re-evaluation of current habit research methodologies and open new avenues for experimental investigation.