Interactive Development of Adaptive Learning and Memory

Abstract

Across development, interactions between value-based learning and memory processes promote the formation of mental models that enable flexible goal pursuit. Value cues in the environment signal information that may be useful to prioritize in memory; these prioritized memories in turn form the foundation of structured knowledge representations that guide subsequent learning. Critically, neural and cognitive component processes of learning and memory undergo marked shifts from infancy to adulthood, leading to developmental change in the construction of mental models and how they are used to guide goal-directed behavior. This review explores how changes in reciprocal interactions between value-based learning and memory influence adaptive behavior across development and highlights avenues for future research.