The Role of Learning in the Operation of Motivational Systems

Abstract

We thank Nicola Clayton, Dominic Dywer, Felicity Miles and especially Kent Berridge for their comments on the mansucript.

Dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic value systems in conditioning and outcome-specific revaluation

“…Papini (2003) argued that mammals have two systems for detecting nonreward: an allocentric mechanism that resets expectations regarding environmental contingencies, and an egocentric mechanism that estimates the motivational, homeostatic and emotional cost of nonreward. The model proposes that adaptive timing mechanisms (Grossberg and Merrill, 1992) and habituative opponent processing via gated dipole circuits (Grossberg, 1972a(Grossberg, , 1972b fulfill the allocentric and egocentric components of reward-omission learning (Dickinson and Balleine, 2001;Papini, 2003). The adaptive timing and gated dipole models are discussed below.…”

“…The gated dipole opponent processing model was developed to address the interactions of appetitive and aversive motivational processes (Grossberg, 1972b(Grossberg, , 1975(Grossberg, , 2000aSolomon, 1980). Behavioral studies show that appetitive and aversive stimuli are not simply processed in independent parallel circuits, but interact as though processed in opponent systems yielding such important phenomena as summation, excitatory and inhibitory conditioning, the relief associated with the offset of pain, or frustration following omission of reward (Amsel, 1968;Denny, 1970;Dickinson and Dearing, 1979;Weiss et al, 1996;Dickinson and Balleine, 2001). The gated dipole model (embedded in the LH of Fig.…”

“…To address such questions, a neural model is proposed and simulated to explain laboratory phenomena such as: the conditioning of cues that predict specific outcomes in a task setting, the automatic revaluation of conditioned stimuli (conditioned reinforcers) following food-specific satiety, and motivational and emotive influences on decision processes, reaction time, response vigor, and blood pressure. The phenomenon of automatic revaluation has only recently been thoroughly investigated and requires additional explanation (Dickinson and Balleine, 2001;Corbit and Balleine, 2005). Revaluation refers to the observation that motivational shifts can alter the vigor of conditioned responses.…”

Neural dynamics underlying impaired autonomic and conditioned responses following amygdala and orbitofrontal lesions.

“…When stimuli and responses are paired with rewards, associations form that allow these stimuli and responses to recall information about the sensory, affective, and drive properties of predicted rewards (Grossberg, 1972;Rescorla, 1991;Dickinson and Balleine, 2001;Cardinal et al, 2002). When a stimulus or response activates the representation of an outcome with which it has been previously paired, the representation is not merely a passive record of previous experience.…”

Information processing by pigeons (Columba livia): Incentive as information.

“…Motivation is commonly viewed as qualitatively separate from associative learning. Accordingly, incentive is viewed as modulating either the strength of an associative connection or the likelihood that a given strength will suffice to generate performance (e.g., Dickinson & Balleine, 2002;Hull, 1943;Tolman, 1932;Yerkes & Dodson, 1908). An analogous two-process account asks how incentive modulates information processing (Eysenck, 1987;Jensen, 1987).…”