Emotion and reward are dissociable from error during motor learning

Area of Science:

• Motor Learning
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Affective Science

Background:

• Contemporary motor learning theories often overlook the dynamic influence of affective states on performance.
• Emotion is known to interact reciprocally with cognitive and motor functions.
• Understanding how affective variations impact motor skill acquisition is an emerging area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of affective states on motor learning on a trial-by-trial basis.
• To determine whether error magnitude or reward outcomes more closely track affective responses during motor learning.
• To examine the role of reward as a factor contributing to motor learning.

Main Methods:

• Two dart-throwing experiments using a prism adaptation paradigm were conducted.
• Motor performance and reward outcomes were dissociated by assigning points based on accuracy.
• Affective states were assessed on a trial-by-trial basis to correlate with performance and reward.

Main Results:

• Affective ratings closely tracked points earned (reward) rather than error magnitude.
• Both reward and error uniquely contributed to motor learning, indicated by changes in error.
• Reward biased motor performance even when sensorimotor adaptation occurred in a perpendicular direction.

Conclusions:

• Affective states during motor learning are dissociable from error magnitude and more closely related to reward.
• Reward is implicated as a significant factor, alongside error, in driving motor learning.
• Models of motor learning should incorporate affective states to provide a more complete explanation of skill acquisition.