The effects of positive versus negative feedback on information-integration category learning

Abstract

A number of studies have shown that in category learning, providing feedback about errors allows faster learning than providing feedback about correct responses. However, these previous studies used explicit, rule-based tasks in which the category structures could be separated by a simple rule that was easily verbalized. Here, the results of the first experiment known to compare the efficacy of positive versus negative feedback during information-integration category learning are reported. Information-integration tasks require participants to integrate perceptual information from incommensurable dimensions, and evidence suggests that optimal responding recruits procedural learning. The results show that although nearly all of the full-feedback control participants demonstrated information-integration learning, participants receiving either positive-only or negative-only feedback generally used explicit, rule-based strategies. It thus appears that, unlike rule-based learning, consistent information-integration learning requires full feedback. The theoretical implications of these findings for current models of information-integration learning are discussed.

Combining Computational Modeling and Neuroimaging to Examine Multiple Category Learning Systems in the Brain

“…The role of dopamine in positive feedback might mean it is more critical to II learning, whereas the hypothesis testing critical for RB learning might be more influenced by negative (disconfirming) feedback. These hypotheses are further motivated by the observation that II learning proceeds more quickly when participants are given positive feedback [24] and RB learning proceeds more quickly with both positive and negative feedback [25]. …”

Comparing the effects of positive and negative feedback in information-integration category learning

“…Feedback plays a critical role in many forms of learning, so it is not surprising that feedback optimization has been the subject of intense investigation (Abe et al, 2011; Ashby & O’ Brien, 2007; Brackbill & O’Hara, 1957; Dunn, Newell, & Kalish, 2012; Edmunds et al, 2015; Galea, Mallia, Rothwell, & Diedrichsen, 2015; Meyer & Offenbach, 1962; Maddox, Love, Glass, & Filoteo, 2008; Wächter et al, 2009). For example, delaying feedback (Dunn, Newell, & Kalish, 2012; Maddox, Ashby, & Bohil, 2003) and adding reward to feedback (Abe et al, 2011; Freedberg, Schacherer, & Hazeltine, 2016; Nikooyan & Ahmed, 2015) impact learning.…”

“…However, it is less clear how effective positive and negative feedback are when solving information-integration (II) category problems (Ashby & O’Brien, 2007). II category learning involves the pre-decisional (non-verbalizable) synthesis of two or more pieces of information (Ashby & O’ Brien, 2005).…”

“…Here, we compare how positive and negative feedback affect information-integration (II) category learning. Ashby and O’ Brien (2007) demonstrated that both positive and negative feedback are required to solve II category problems when feedback was not guaranteed on each trial, and reported no differences between positive-only and negative-only feedback in terms of their effectiveness. We followed up on these findings and conducted three experiments in which participants completed 2,400 II categorization trials across three days under one of three conditions: positive feedback only (PFB), negative feedback only (NFB), or both types of feedback (CP; Control Partial).…”

The role of feedback contingency in perceptual category learning.

“…Furthermore, many studies have reported evidence that the role of feedback is very different during declarative-memory mediated category learning than during procedural-memory mediated category learning (Ashby & O'Brien, 2007; Dunn, Newell, & Kalish, 2012; Filoteo, Lauritzen, & Maddox, 2010; Maddox, Ashby, & Bohil, 2003; Maddox, Ashby, Ing, & Pickering, 2004; Maddox & Ing, 2005; Maddox, Love, Glass, & Filoteo, 2008; Smith et al, 2014; Zeithamova & Maddox, 2007). These results call into question whether these differences might also extend to feedback contingency.…”