Better late than never? The effect of feedback delay on ERP indices of reward processing

Abstract

The feedback negativity (FN), an early neural response that differentiates rewards from losses, appears to be generated in part by reward circuits in the brain. A prominent model of the FN suggests that it reflects learning processes by which environmental feedback shapes behavior. Although there is evidence that human behavior is more strongly influenced by rewards that quickly follow actions, in nonlaboratory settings, optimal behaviors are not always followed by immediate rewards. However, it is not clear how the introduction of a delay between response selection and feedback impacts the FN. Thus, the present study used a simple forced choice gambling task to elicit the FN, in which feedback about rewards and losses was presented after either 1 or 6 s. Results suggest that, at short delays (1 s), participants clearly differentiated losses from rewards, as evidenced in the magnitude of the FN. At long delays (6 s), on the other hand, the difference between losses and rewards was negligible. Results are discussed in terms of eligibility traces and the reinforcement learning model of the FN.

Neural responses to social and monetary reward in early adolescence and emerging adulthood

“…The onset of feedback following response selection was also not identical between the two tasks, which may have impacted response peak and magnitude of the RewP (Weinberg, Luhmann, Bress, & Hajcak, 2012). These task disparities may have introduced differences in strategizing or feedback processing between the two tasks, possibly accounting for weak associations between neural responses to the two feedback types.…”

Feedback delay gradually affects amplitude and valence specificity of the feedback‐related negativity (FRN)

“…Behavioral results are consistent with previous findings by Foerde and Shohamy () who reported comparable learning from immediate and delayed feedback in a probabilistic learning task in healthy adults. Wang et al () and Weinberg et al (), who also studied effects of delay on feedback processing, both used randomized gambling tasks in which feedback was not utilitarian. The lack of behavioral effects in the present data thus corroborates that subjects can learn similarly well from immediate and delayed feedback.…”

The effects of performance‐based rewards on neurophysiological correlates of stimulus, error, and feedback processing in children with ADHD

“…During a guessing or gambling task, the participant is unable to independently determine whether their response is correct until feedback is provided, preventing simultaneous examination of the ERN/Pe and the FRN. The system that produces the FRN is thought to be differentially sensitive to positive and negative feedback reflecting classification of outcomes into those that indicate a goal has been satisfied and those that do not (Holroyd, Hajcak, & Larsen, ) and is larger for immediate feedback (Weinberg et al., ). Thus, if an error was not detected before feedback was provided, the response to negative feedback would be heightened because the feedback received was worse than expected (Bismark et al., ).…”