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A Novel Experimental and Analytical Approach to the Multimodal Neural Decoding of Intent During Social Interaction in Freely-behaving Human Infants
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Associative (not Hebbian) learning and the mirror neuron system.

Richard P Cooper1, Richard Cook, Anthony Dickinson

  • 1Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, United Kingdom. R.Cooper@bbk.ac.uk

Neuroscience Letters
|October 16, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Sensorimotor training shapes the mirror neuron system (MNS) through associative learning, not just Hebbian learning. This study computationally models imitation data, supporting the associative sequence learning hypothesis for MNS development.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Computational Neuroscience

Background:

  • The mirror neuron system (MNS) is crucial for imitation.
  • Two hypotheses exist for sensorimotor experience's role in MNS development: associative sequence learning (ASL) and Hebbian learning.
  • ASL emphasizes contingency and contiguity, while Hebbian learning focuses on contiguity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To computationally test the ASL and Hebbian hypotheses.
  • To determine the learning mechanisms underlying sensorimotor training's effect on automatic imitation and MNS responsivity.

Main Methods:

  • Computational modeling using an interactive activation model.
  • Augmenting the model with Rescorla-Wagner learning (associative) versus Hebbian or quasi-Hebbian learning.
  • Analyzing automatic imitation data influenced by contingent and non-contingent sensorimotor training.

Main Results:

  • The model successfully reproduced reduced automatic imitation with associative (Rescorla-Wagner) learning.
  • Hebbian and quasi-Hebbian learning models failed to replicate the observed data.
  • Sensorimotor training effects on MNS responsivity were better explained by associative learning.

Conclusions:

  • Findings support the associative sequence learning hypothesis over the Hebbian hypothesis.
  • Associative learning, sensitive to contingency and contiguity, is crucial for sensorimotor training's impact on automatic imitation.
  • Associative learning mechanisms are potentially sufficient for mirror neuron system development.