TY - JOUR
T1 - Learning bias predicts fear acquisition under stress but not cognitive flexibility
AU - Caudwell, Kim M.
AU - Baldini, Sara
AU - Calvezzi, Gemma
AU - Graham, Aidan
AU - Jackson, Kasie
AU - Johansson, Isabella
AU - Sines, Madeline
AU - Lim, Lee Wei
AU - Aquili, Luca
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s)
PY - 2023/12/1
Y1 - 2023/12/1
N2 - Individuals differ in their ability to learn from reinforcement and in avoiding punishment, which can be measured by the Probabilistic Selection Task (PST). Recently, some studies have demonstrated that this learning bias is regulated by the dopaminergic system, and that stress can differentially affect the use of positive (i.e., reinforcement) and negative (i.e., avoiding punishment) feedback. The current two studies examined whether performance on the PST can predict measures of goal-directed behaviour as assessed by a cognitive flexibility task (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) and the acquisition of fear responses, when individuals are exposed to a stressor (Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test). A total of 26 and 59 healthy participants completed Experiments I and II, respectively. In those who were best at learning from reinforcement, stress increased the processing (i.e., higher skin conductance responses) of non-threatening stimuli during fear acquisition compared to the non-stressful condition, which was not recapitulated in those who were best at avoiding punishment. Additionally, PST performance did not interact with stress to modulate cognitive flexibility, although stress negatively impaired this domain, consistent with previous findings. Furthermore, independent of stress, both positive and negative learning biases were correlated with cognitive flexibility errors. Our results demonstrate that the PST has predictive value for better understanding the determinants of reinforcement and avoidance learning.
AB - Individuals differ in their ability to learn from reinforcement and in avoiding punishment, which can be measured by the Probabilistic Selection Task (PST). Recently, some studies have demonstrated that this learning bias is regulated by the dopaminergic system, and that stress can differentially affect the use of positive (i.e., reinforcement) and negative (i.e., avoiding punishment) feedback. The current two studies examined whether performance on the PST can predict measures of goal-directed behaviour as assessed by a cognitive flexibility task (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) and the acquisition of fear responses, when individuals are exposed to a stressor (Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test). A total of 26 and 59 healthy participants completed Experiments I and II, respectively. In those who were best at learning from reinforcement, stress increased the processing (i.e., higher skin conductance responses) of non-threatening stimuli during fear acquisition compared to the non-stressful condition, which was not recapitulated in those who were best at avoiding punishment. Additionally, PST performance did not interact with stress to modulate cognitive flexibility, although stress negatively impaired this domain, consistent with previous findings. Furthermore, independent of stress, both positive and negative learning biases were correlated with cognitive flexibility errors. Our results demonstrate that the PST has predictive value for better understanding the determinants of reinforcement and avoidance learning.
KW - Cognitive flexibility
KW - Fear acquisition
KW - Learning
KW - Probabilistic selection task
KW - Stress
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85174713274&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114384
DO - 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114384
M3 - Article
C2 - 37866645
AN - SCOPUS:85174713274
SN - 0031-9384
VL - 272
JO - Physiology and Behavior
JF - Physiology and Behavior
M1 - 114384
ER -