Punishment sensitivity modulates the processing of negative feedback but not error-induced learning.

Kerstin Unger,Jutta Kray,Sonja Heintz

doi:10.3389/fnhum.2012.00186

Abstract

Accumulating evidence suggests that individual differences in punishment and reward sensitivity are associated with functional alterations in neural systems underlying error and feedback processing. In particular, individuals highly sensitive to punishment have been found to be characterized by larger mediofrontal error signals as reflected in the error negativity/error-related negativity (Ne/ERN) and the feedback-related negativity (FRN). By contrast, reward sensitivity has been shown to relate to the error positivity (Pe). Given that Ne/ERN, FRN, and Pe have been functionally linked to flexible behavioral adaptation, the aim of the present research was to examine how these electrophysiological reflections of error and feedback processing vary as a function of punishment and reward sensitivity during reinforcement learning. We applied a probabilistic learning task that involved three different conditions of feedback validity (100%, 80%, and 50%). In contrast to prior studies using response competition tasks, we did not find reliable correlations between punishment sensitivity and the Ne/ERN. Instead, higher punishment sensitivity predicted larger FRN amplitudes, irrespective of feedback validity. Moreover, higher reward sensitivity was associated with a larger Pe. However, only reward sensitivity was related to better overall learning performance and higher post-error accuracy, whereas highly punishment sensitive participants showed impaired learning performance, suggesting that larger negative feedback-related error signals were not beneficial for learning or even reflected maladaptive information processing in these individuals. Thus, although our findings indicate that individual differences in reward and punishment sensitivity are related to electrophysiological correlates of error and feedback processing, we found less evidence for influences of these personality characteristics on the relation between performance monitoring and feedback-based learning.

Highlights

Learning from reward and punishment is a prerequisite for flexible behavioral adaptation to changing environmental conditions
The present study shows that individual differences in punishment sensitivity are associated with larger FRN amplitudes, indicating an increased mPFC responsivity to negative performance feedback
In line with previous studies, the present findings indicate that individual differences in reward and punishment sensitivity are associated with unique functional alterations of these systems

Summary

Introduction

Learning from reward and punishment is a prerequisite for flexible behavioral adaptation to changing environmental conditions. There is, considerable evidence to suggest that individuals vary in their responsiveness to rewarding and punishing stimuli (Depue and Collins, 1999; Pickering and Gray, 2001; Corr, 2004). The behavioral activation system (BAS) is thought to be activated by appetitive stimuli and to promote reward-directed approach behavior. Activation of the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) has been linked to the detection of conflict between competing goals (e.g., approach-avoidance conflict), resulting in increased arousal, focused attention, and enhanced information processing. The BIS is assumed to inhibit prepotent response tendencies and to arbitrate between conflicting BAS- and FFFS-controlled behaviors by promoting risk-assessment along with a negative processing bias. While reward sensitivity has primarily been related to BAS-functioning, punishment sensitivity has beenrelated to combined FFFS/BIS-functioning (Corr, 2004)

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