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

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory01:26

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

2.2K
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or...
2.2K
Reinforcement01:23

Reinforcement

967
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:
967
Corrosion of Reinforcement01:27

Corrosion of Reinforcement

597
The corrosion of steel reinforcement within concrete is a process influenced by the material's inherent properties and external factors. The high pH level of around 13, provided by calcium hydroxide present in concrete, initially protects the steel reinforcement by promoting the formation of a passive iron oxide layer on its surface.
However, over time and under certain conditions like carbonation, chloride ingress, and cracking this protective state can be compromised. Steel has areas with...
597
Reinforcement Schedules01:24

Reinforcement Schedules

534
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,...
534
Reinforcements in Concrete01:25

Reinforcements in Concrete

505
Reinforced concrete is a composite material used extensively in construction, combining the compressive strength of concrete with the tensile strength of steel. This synergy is essential as concrete, while excellent at resisting compression, is weak under tension. Steel bars, or rebars, are embedded in the concrete to handle these tensile forces. The choice of steel is strategic; it shares a similar coefficient of thermal expansion with concrete, which ensures uniformity in response to...
505
System of Memory01:23

System of Memory

7.5K
Memory is categorized into three major systems: sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). These systems differ in their capacity and the duration for which they can hold information. Sensory memory captures raw sensory input from the environment, holding it for just a few seconds or less. For example, on hearing a brief, loud sound, like a car horn honking, the sound seems to linger in the mind for a moment even after it stops. This is an instance of sensory memory...
7.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Latent subdimensions of anxiety and depression differentially influence exertion of effort in pursuit of reward versus avoidance of threat.

Translational psychiatry·2026
Same author

Latent Learning Progress Drives Autonomous Goal Selection in Human Reinforcement Learning.

Advances in neural information processing systems·2025
Same author

A habit and working memory model as an alternative account of human reward-based learning.

Nature human behaviour·2025
Same author

Linking reinforcement learning, working memory, and choice dynamics to age and symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescence.

Developmental cognitive neuroscience·2025
Same author

Dual process impairments in reinforcement learning and working memory systems underlie learning deficits in physiological anxiety.

PLoS computational biology·2025
Same author

Dual effects of dual-tasking on instrumental learning.

Cognition·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Drosophila Courtship Conditioning As a Measure of Learning and Memory
09:29

Drosophila Courtship Conditioning As a Measure of Learning and Memory

Published on: June 5, 2017

19.2K

The Tortoise and the Hare: Interactions between Reinforcement Learning and Working Memory.

Anne G E Collins1

  • 1University of California, Berkeley.

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
|January 19, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Working memory speeds up initial learning but hinders long-term retention by interfering with reinforcement learning. This trade-off impacts how we acquire and recall information over time.

More Related Videos

Assessing Spatial Learning and Memory in Small Squamate Reptiles
08:44

Assessing Spatial Learning and Memory in Small Squamate Reptiles

Published on: January 3, 2017

8.0K
Novel Object Recognition Test for the Investigation of Learning and Memory in Mice
08:52

Novel Object Recognition Test for the Investigation of Learning and Memory in Mice

Published on: August 30, 2017

77.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Drosophila Courtship Conditioning As a Measure of Learning and Memory
09:29

Drosophila Courtship Conditioning As a Measure of Learning and Memory

Published on: June 5, 2017

19.2K
Assessing Spatial Learning and Memory in Small Squamate Reptiles
08:44

Assessing Spatial Learning and Memory in Small Squamate Reptiles

Published on: January 3, 2017

8.0K
Novel Object Recognition Test for the Investigation of Learning and Memory in Mice
08:52

Novel Object Recognition Test for the Investigation of Learning and Memory in Mice

Published on: August 30, 2017

77.7K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Computational Psychiatry

Background:

  • Human learning relies on reinforcement learning (RL) and working memory (WM).
  • RL is slow but robust; WM is fast but capacity-limited.
  • Parallel processing is assumed, but interactions are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the interaction between working memory and reinforcement learning.
  • Determine if using working memory for learning interferes with reinforcement learning.
  • Understand the impact on long-term memory retention.

Main Methods:

  • Computational modeling to simulate learning processes.
  • Behavioral experiments to measure learning and retention.
  • Delayed testing phase to isolate reinforcement learning effects.

Main Results:

  • Working memory use during learning impaired long-term retention.
  • Faster learning via working memory led to worse long-term recall.
  • Computational models confirmed working memory interference with RL.

Conclusions:

  • Working memory interferes with reinforcement learning computations.
  • There is a trade-off between rapid learning and long-term memory.
  • Findings have implications for education and computational psychiatry.