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Context dependence of the event‐related brain potential associated with reward and punishment
Author(s) -
Holroyd Clay B.,
Larsen Jeff T.,
Cohen Jonathan D.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2004.00152.x
Subject(s) - psychology , punishment (psychology) , error related negativity , negativity effect , context (archaeology) , outcome (game theory) , reinforcement learning , event related potential , reinforcement , mean squared prediction error , value (mathematics) , cognitive psychology , event (particle physics) , social psychology , electroencephalography , cognition , neuroscience , anterior cingulate cortex , statistics , artificial intelligence , mathematical economics , computer science , paleontology , mathematics , biology , physics , quantum mechanics
The error‐related negativity (ERN) is an event‐related brain potential elicited by error commission and by presentation of feedback stimuli indicating incorrect performance. In this study, the authors report two experiments in which participants tried to learn to select between response options by trial and error, using feedback stimuli indicating monetary gains and losses. The results demonstrate that the amplitude of the ERN is determined by the value of the eliciting outcome relative to the range of outcomes possible, rather than by the objective value of the outcome. This result is discussed in terms of a recent theory that holds that the ERN reflects a reward prediction error signal associated with a neural system for reinforcement learning.