Learning the value of information in an uncertain world.
Our decisions are guided by outcomes that are associated with decisions made in the past. However, the amount of influence each past outcome has on our next decision remains unclear. To ensure optimal decision-making, the weight given to decision outcomes should reflect their salience in predicting...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2007
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| _version_ | 1797081507894919168 |
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| author | Behrens, T Woolrich, M Walton, M Rushworth, M |
| author_facet | Behrens, T Woolrich, M Walton, M Rushworth, M |
| author_sort | Behrens, T |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Our decisions are guided by outcomes that are associated with decisions made in the past. However, the amount of influence each past outcome has on our next decision remains unclear. To ensure optimal decision-making, the weight given to decision outcomes should reflect their salience in predicting future outcomes, and this salience should be modulated by the volatility of the reward environment. We show that human subjects assess volatility in an optimal manner and adjust decision-making accordingly. This optimal estimate of volatility is reflected in the fMRI signal in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) when each trial outcome is observed. When a new piece of information is witnessed, activity levels reflect its salience for predicting future outcomes. Furthermore, variations in this ACC signal across the population predict variations in subject learning rates. Our results provide a formal account of how we weigh our different experiences in guiding our future actions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T01:15:18Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:8e720337-7ced-43ac-bd78-6e30f653ecd9 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T01:15:18Z |
| publishDate | 2007 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:8e720337-7ced-43ac-bd78-6e30f653ecd92022-03-26T22:57:50ZLearning the value of information in an uncertain world.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:8e720337-7ced-43ac-bd78-6e30f653ecd9EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2007Behrens, TWoolrich, MWalton, MRushworth, MOur decisions are guided by outcomes that are associated with decisions made in the past. However, the amount of influence each past outcome has on our next decision remains unclear. To ensure optimal decision-making, the weight given to decision outcomes should reflect their salience in predicting future outcomes, and this salience should be modulated by the volatility of the reward environment. We show that human subjects assess volatility in an optimal manner and adjust decision-making accordingly. This optimal estimate of volatility is reflected in the fMRI signal in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) when each trial outcome is observed. When a new piece of information is witnessed, activity levels reflect its salience for predicting future outcomes. Furthermore, variations in this ACC signal across the population predict variations in subject learning rates. Our results provide a formal account of how we weigh our different experiences in guiding our future actions. |
| spellingShingle | Behrens, T Woolrich, M Walton, M Rushworth, M Learning the value of information in an uncertain world. |
| title | Learning the value of information in an uncertain world. |
| title_full | Learning the value of information in an uncertain world. |
| title_fullStr | Learning the value of information in an uncertain world. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Learning the value of information in an uncertain world. |
| title_short | Learning the value of information in an uncertain world. |
| title_sort | learning the value of information in an uncertain world |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT behrenst learningthevalueofinformationinanuncertainworld AT woolrichm learningthevalueofinformationinanuncertainworld AT waltonm learningthevalueofinformationinanuncertainworld AT rushworthm learningthevalueofinformationinanuncertainworld |