Model-free decision-making underlies motor errors in rapid sequential movements under threat

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Motor Control
• Decision Science

Background:

• Goal-directed movements are influenced by cognitive decision-making strategies.
• The interplay between decision-making and motor performance is not fully understood.
• Sequential movements require integrated cognitive and motor processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between decision-making strategies and motor performance in sequential movements.
• To examine how stress influences this relationship.
• To determine if model-based or model-free learning impacts motor error rates.

Main Methods:

• A modified two-step sequential movement task was developed.
• Participants (n=40) performed rapid sequential finger movements for rewards.
• A shock session (stress) and a no-shock session were implemented to compare conditions.

Main Results:

• Participants prioritizing model-free decision-making showed increased motor errors under shock conditions.
• Model-based decision-making was associated with fewer motor errors in stressful situations.
• Mediation analysis confirmed a significant link between learning strategy balance and sequential movement performance.

Conclusions:

• Model-free decision-making strategies are more susceptible to motor errors under stress.
• Model-based strategies offer resilience in sequential motor tasks during stressful conditions.
• The balance of cognitive learning strategies critically impacts motor control and performance.