Action initiation and punishment learning differ from childhood to adolescence while reward learning remains stable

Ruth Pauli (), Inti A. Brazil, Gregor Kohls, Miriam C. Klein-Flügge, Jack C. Rogers, Dimitris Dikeos, Roberta Dochnal, Graeme Fairchild, Aranzazu Fernández-Rivas, Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann, Amaia Hervas, Kerstin Konrad, Arne Popma, Christina Stadler, Christine M. Freitag, Stephane A. Brito and Patricia L. Lockwood ()
Additional contact information
Ruth Pauli: University of Birmingham
Inti A. Brazil: Radboud University, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour
Gregor Kohls: RWTH Aachen University
Miriam C. Klein-Flügge: University of Oxford
Jack C. Rogers: University of Birmingham
Dimitris Dikeos: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Roberta Dochnal: Szeged University
Graeme Fairchild: University of Bath
Aranzazu Fernández-Rivas: Basurto University Hospital
Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann: RWTH Aachen University
Amaia Hervas: University Hospital Mutua Terrassa
Kerstin Konrad: RWTH Aachen University
Arne Popma: VU University Medical Center
Christina Stadler: Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Basel
Christine M. Freitag: University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University
Stephane A. Brito: University of Birmingham
Patricia L. Lockwood: University of Birmingham

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract Theoretical and empirical accounts suggest that adolescence is associated with heightened reward learning and impulsivity. Experimental tasks and computational models that can dissociate reward learning from the tendency to initiate actions impulsively (action initiation bias) are thus critical to characterise the mechanisms that drive developmental differences. However, existing work has rarely quantified both learning ability and action initiation, or it has relied on small samples. Here, using computational modelling of a learning task collected from a large sample (N = 742, 9-18 years, 11 countries), we test differences in reward and punishment learning and action initiation from childhood to adolescence. Computational modelling reveals that whilst punishment learning rates increase with age, reward learning remains stable. In parallel, action initiation biases decrease with age. Results are similar when considering pubertal stage instead of chronological age. We conclude that heightened reward responsivity in adolescence can reflect differences in action initiation rather than enhanced reward learning.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41124-w

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