Abstract
There is growing recognition that much of human behavior is governed by the presence of classically conditioned cues. The Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) paradigm offers a way to measure the effects of classically conditioned stimuli on behavior. In the current study, a novel behavioral task, an adaptation of the PIT framework, was developed for use in conjunction with an fMRI classical conditioning task. Twenty-four healthy young adults completed (1) instrumental training, (2) Pavlovian conditioning, and (3) a Transfer test. During instrumental training, participants learned to apply force to a handgrip to win money from slot machines pictured on a computer screen. During Pavlovian conditioning, slot machines appeared with one of two abstract symbols (cues), one symbol was predictive of monetary reward. During the Transfer test, participants again applied force to a handgrip to win money. This time, the slot machines were presented with the Pavlovian cues, but with the outcomes hidden. The results indicated increased effort on the instrumental task, i.e. higher response frequency and greater force, in the presence of the reward-predicting cue. Our findings add to the growing number of studies demonstrating PIT effects in humans. This new paradigm is effective in measuring the effects of a conditioned stimulus on behavioral activation.
Highlights
Pavlovian, or classical, conditioning refers to an associative process through which previously neutral stimuli acquire motivational significance after repeated pairing with a rewarding or aversive experience (Corbit and Balleine, 2003)
We developed a novel behavioral task, an adaptation of the Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) framework with a single excitatory cue, for use in conjunction with fMRI classical conditioning tasks (Furukawa et al, 2020)
The current study evaluated the motivating effects of rewardpredicting cues on human behavior
Summary
Classical, conditioning refers to an associative process through which previously neutral stimuli acquire motivational significance after repeated pairing with a rewarding or aversive experience (Corbit and Balleine, 2003). When a previously neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with reward, the stimulus comes to elicit physiological responses and induce appetitive behaviors. Adapting PIT Methodology for fMRI that are normally associated with reward (Cartoni et al, 2016) Such appetitive classical conditioning is thought to underlie much of everyday human behavior (Bray et al, 2008; Blechert et al, 2016; Cartoni et al, 2016), helping maintain both adaptive and maladaptive behaviors, for example addiction (Hogarth, 2012; Garbusow et al, 2016). The evidence of behavioral invigoration in the presence of conditioned stimuli in humans is less robust compared to a long history in animal experiments
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
