Cost-benefit tradeoff mediates the transition from rule-based to memory-based processing during practice.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience
• Learning Sciences

Background:

• Task practice enhances performance by shifting execution from rule-based to memory-based processing.
• The precise mechanisms and timing of these strategy transitions during learning remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if strategy transitions in task learning are driven by cost-benefit analysis.
• To identify the neural correlates of practice-induced strategy shifts.

Main Methods:

• A computational model implementing cost-benefit analysis was used to predict strategy transitions.
• Participants underwent behavioral testing and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a learning task.
• Model comparisons were performed using behavioral data to evaluate different learning hypotheses.

Main Results:

• Behavioral improvements with practice were explained by the cost-benefit model, with predicted transition points aligning with observed behavioral slowing.
• Model comparisons indicated that cost-benefit analysis across strategies, rather than just memory strength, better explained strategy transitions.
• fMRI data revealed brain encoding of a decision variable related to cost-benefit analysis and double-dissociated strategy representations.

Conclusions:

• Cost-benefit analysis serves as a key mechanism underlying practice-induced strategy shifts in task learning.
• Neural activity in the dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex is associated with these strategy transitions.