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Momentary subjective well-being depends on learning and not reward
Bastien Blain1, Robb B Rutledge1,2,3
1Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Elife
|November 17, 2020
Summary
Happiness is linked to how we learn from experiences, not just rewards received. Our study shows probability prediction error, not reward prediction error, influences momentary happiness.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Affective Science
- Computational Psychiatry
Background:
- Subjective well-being (happiness) is commonly linked to wealth.
- Momentary happiness may relate to reward prediction error (RPE), crucial for adaptive behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between learning processes and momentary happiness.
- To differentiate the roles of reward prediction error and probability prediction error in happiness.
Main Methods:
- Subjects performed a reinforcement learning task with uncorrelated reward size and probability.
- Computational modeling was used to analyze behavior and happiness data.
- Stable and volatile learning environments were employed.
Main Results:
- Happiness, like behavior, is sensitive to probability prediction error (learning-relevant).
- Happiness is not sensitive to reward prediction error (learning-irrelevant).
- Depressive symptoms disproportionately reduce happiness in volatile environments.
Conclusions:
- Learning processes, specifically probability prediction error, significantly influence momentary happiness.
- The way individuals learn about their environment is more critical to their feelings than actual rewards.
- Environmental volatility and depressive symptoms interact to affect happiness.
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