Dynamic integration of conceptual information during learning

Marika C Inhoff,Takao Noguchi,Charan Ranganath,Laura A Libby,Bradley C Love,Emmanuel Andreas Stamatakis

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0207357

Abstract

The development and application of concepts is a critical component of cognition. Although concepts can be formed on the basis of simple perceptual or semantic features, conceptual representations can also capitalize on similarities across feature relationships. By representing these types of higher-order relationships, concepts can simplify the learning problem and facilitate decisions. Despite this, little is known about the neural mechanisms that support the construction and deployment of these kinds of higher-order concepts during learning. To address this question, we combined a carefully designed associative learning task with computational model-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants were scanned as they learned and made decisions about sixteen pairs of cues and associated outcomes. Associations were structured such that individual cues shared feature relationships, operationalized as shared patterns of cue pair-outcome associations. In order to capture the large number of possible conceptual representational structures that participants might employ and to evaluate how conceptual representations are used during learning, we leveraged a well-specified Bayesian computational model of category learning [1]. Behavioral and model-based results revealed that participants who displayed a tendency to link experiences in memory benefitted from faster learning rates, suggesting that the use of the conceptual structure in the task facilitated decisions about cue pair-outcome associations. Model-based fMRI analyses revealed that trial-by-trial integration of cue information into higher-order conceptual representations was supported by an anterior temporal (AT) network of regions previously implicated in representing complex conjunctions of features and meaning-based information.

Highlights

One of the core functions of memory is the ability to use prior experience to optimize and facilitate decisions
Recent neuroimaging investigations have focused on elucidating brain regions involved in concepts formed on the basis of simple features, concepts can reflect higherorder relationships, including shared features across entities in the environment
Behavioral and model results revealed that participants who showed a tendency to link information in memory, as evidenced by the fitted coupling probability value, had faster learning rates, suggesting that use of the conceptual structure of the task facilitated learning

Summary

Introduction

One of the core functions of memory is the ability to use prior experience to optimize and facilitate decisions. A central challenge to this adaptive behavior, is the dense and continuous nature of experience. One approach to reducing this complexity is to make use of conceptual structure in the environment. Concepts can be formed on the basis of simple. University Research Initiative Grant (Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-17-1-2961) from the Office of Naval Research to CR. Findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office of Naval Research or the U.S Department of Defense

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Results

Conclusion