History of one\u2019s own performance modulates evaluative processing of another\u2019s action outcomes, but not vice versa

Chikara Ishii,Jun’Ichi Katayama

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-03971-9

Chikara Ishii, Jun’Ichi Katayama

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-03971-9

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Journal: Scientific Reports	Publication Date: Jan 7, 2022
License type: open-access

Affiliation: Kwansei Gakuin University

Abstract

In action monitoring, i.e., evaluating an outcome of our behavior, a reward prediction error signal is calculated as the difference between actual and predicted outcomes and is used to adjust future behavior. Previous studies demonstrate that this signal, which is reflected by an event-related brain potential called feedback-related negativity (FRN), occurs in response to not only one's own outcomes, but also those of others. However, it is still unknown if predictions of different actors' performance interact with each other. Thus, we investigated how predictions from one’s own and another’s performance history affect each other by manipulating the task difficulty for participants themselves and their partners independently. Pairs of participants performed a time estimation task, randomly switching the roles of actor and observer from trial to trial. Results show that the history of the other’s performance did not modulate the amplitude of the FRN for the evaluation of one’s own outcomes. In contrast, the amplitude of the observer FRN for the other’s outcomes differed according to the frequency of one’s own action outcomes. In conclusion, the monitoring system tracks the histories of one’s own and observed outcomes separately and considers information related to one’s own action outcomes to be more important.

Highlights

In action monitoring, i.e., evaluating an outcome of our behavior, a reward prediction error signal is calculated as the difference between actual and predicted outcomes and is used to adjust future behavior
It should be noted that in this regard, several studies suggest that the difference in event-related brain potentials (ERPs) amplitudes for desirable and undesirable outcomes is not due to feedback-related negativity (FRN) for the undesirable outcomes, but to reward positivity for desirable outcomes that correspond to activation of reward-related a reas[14,15,16,17,18]
The reinforcement learning theory of action monitoring states that the FRN reflects a reward prediction error (RPE) signal—the difference between a predicted and an actual outcome

Summary

Introduction

I.e., evaluating an outcome of our behavior, a reward prediction error signal is calculated as the difference between actual and predicted outcomes and is used to adjust future behavior. Previous studies demonstrate that this signal, which is reflected by an event-related brain potential called feedback-related negativity (FRN), occurs in response to one’s own outcomes, and those of others It is still unknown if predictions of different actors’ performance interact with each other. Feedback-related negativity (FRN) is an electrophysiological signal used to study outcome evaluation processes It is a negative deflection of the ERPs associated with negative outcomes such as monetary loss and performance error. A series of studies have revealed that the mechanism for the RPE calculation based on one’s own action outcomes occurs when perceiving outcomes for others, resulting in a negative deflection for negative outcomes[22,23,24] This negative deflection is called observer FRN (oFRN) since the latency, scalp distribution, and source are similar to the F RN25. It remains unclear whether the prediction of an action outcome distinguishes between different sources of experience or not

Methods

Results

Conclusion