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Reward positivity: Reward prediction error or salience prediction error?
Sepideh Heydari1, Clay B Holroyd1
1Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Psychophysiology
|May 18, 2016
Summary
The reward positivity (RPS) brainwave is typically linked to rewards. This study shows RPS is also involved in anticipating punishments, suggesting it signals salience rather than just reward prediction errors.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- The reward positivity (RPS) is an electroencephalography (EEG) component linked to feedback processing in learning tasks.
- A dominant theory posits RPS reflects reward prediction errors, larger for unexpected positive outcomes.
- However, studies on punishment feedback have yielded conflicting results, questioning the reward-centric view.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of RPS in processing punishment feedback.
- To differentiate between reward prediction error and salience prediction error hypotheses for RPS.
Main Methods:
- Participants completed a virtual T-maze task with monetary reward and physical punishment feedback conditions.
- EEG data was recorded to analyze the event-related potential (ERP) response to feedback stimuli.
Main Results:
- A typical RPS was observed for reward feedback.
- A delayed RPS was elicited by punishment feedback.
- The RPS was more positive when punishment was omitted than when it was delivered, contradicting the salience hypothesis.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest RPS is sensitive to both rewards and punishments, potentially reflecting a broader prediction error signal.
- The results challenge the exclusive interpretation of RPS as a reward prediction error signal.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the precise nature of the RPS signal in different contexts.
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