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Expecting the unexpected: a review of learning under uncertainty across development
Selin Topel1,2, Ili Ma3,4, Jan Sleutels3,5
1Leiden University, Institute of Psychology, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333, AK, Leiden, The Netherlands. s.topel@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience
|May 26, 2023
Summary
Adolescents improve learning from stochastic outcomes with age. They also show an advantage over children and adults when learning from volatile outcomes, highlighting developmental differences in uncertainty processing.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Learning and decision-making occur under uncertainty.
- Distinct types of uncertainty, stochastic and volatile, differentially impact learning.
- Adolescence is a critical period for learning due to heightened exploration and novel experiences.
Approach:
- Semi-systematic review of 26 studies focusing on adolescent learning under uncertainty.
- Comparison of cognitive and neurobiological processes in learning from stochastic versus volatile outcomes.
- Analysis of age-related differences in learning across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
Key Points:
- Learning from stochastic outcomes generally improves with age, indicated by enhanced performance accuracy.
- Adolescents demonstrate a learning advantage over children and adults in volatile outcome environments.
- Developmental patterns in learning under uncertainty are mixed but highlight age-specific adaptations.
Conclusions:
- Age-related differences exist in how adolescents learn under different types of uncertainty.
- Potential mechanisms underlying these differences warrant further investigation.
- Future research should explore these mechanisms and refine our understanding of adolescent learning and decision-making under uncertainty.
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