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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 30, 2026

Studying Food Reward and Motivation in Humans

Studying Food Reward and Motivation in Humans

Published on: March 19, 2014

Dual mechanisms governing reward-driven perceptual learning.

Dongho Kim¹, Sam Ling², Takeo Watanabe³

¹Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA ; Center for Computational Neuroscience and Neural Technology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.

|November 6, 2015

Summary

Reward signals drive perceptual learning, improving visual discrimination. Recent findings show these signals are sufficient, even without higher cognitive processes like attention.

Keywords:

Perceptual learning Reward Vision automatic contingency goal-directed task-irrelevant temporal contiguity

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Perception

Background:

Perceptual learning enhances discrimination of visual stimuli through practice.
Traditionally, top-down processes like attention and decision-making were considered essential.
Recent research challenges this, highlighting the role of reward signals.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the literature on how reward signals influence perceptual learning.
To explore the sufficiency of reward signals in driving perceptual learning benefits.
To propose underlying mechanisms for reward-driven perceptual learning.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies on perceptual learning and reward.
Analysis of findings demonstrating reward signal efficacy.
Synthesis of evidence to propose theoretical mechanisms.

Main Results:

Reward signals alone can drive perceptual learning.
Higher-level cognitive processes are not always necessary for perceptual benefits.
Evidence supports distinct automatic and goal-directed learning pathways.

Conclusions:

Reward signals play a crucial role in shaping perceptual learning.
Perceptual learning may involve at least two mechanisms: one automatic and reward-driven, the other top-down and goal-directed.