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Learning and generalization under ambiguity: an fMRI study.

Chumbley, JR; Flandin, G; Bach, DR; Daunizeau, J; Fehr, E; Dolan, RJ; Friston, KJ; (2012) Learning and generalization under ambiguity: an fMRI study. PLoS Comput Biol , 8 (1) , Article e1002346. 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002346. Green open access

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Abstract

Adaptive behavior often exploits generalizations from past experience by applying them judiciously in new situations. This requires a means of quantifying the relative importance of prior experience and current information, so they can be balanced optimally. In this study, we ask whether the brain generalizes in an optimal way. Specifically, we used Bayesian learning theory and fMRI to test whether neuronal responses reflect context-sensitive changes in ambiguity or uncertainty about experience-dependent beliefs. We found that the hippocampus expresses clear ambiguity-dependent responses that are associated with an augmented rate of learning. These findings suggest candidate neuronal systems that may be involved in aberrations of generalization, such as over-confidence.

Type: Article
Title: Learning and generalization under ambiguity: an fMRI study.
Location: United States
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002346
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002346
Language: English
Additional information: © 2012 Chumbley et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Funding: JC was funded by the SystemsX, CoMPLEX (UCL) and the Wellcome Trust. This work was supported by Wellcome Trust Program Grants to KJF and RJD. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Keywords: Adult, Bayes Theorem, Choice Behavior, Computational Biology, Female, Generalization (Psychology), Hippocampus, Humans, Learning, Logistic Models, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Reinforcement (Psychology), Reward
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology > Imaging Neuroscience
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1337372
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