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Cited by 63Memory and Neural MechanismsNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesBehavioral Health and Interventions

Some factors that restore goal-direction to a habitual behavior

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Trask, Sydney, Shipman, Megan L., Green, John T., Bouton, Mark E.·2020·Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
DOI 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107161PMC PMC7787053
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Abstract

Recent findings from our laboratory suggest that an extensively-practiced instrumental behavior can appear to be a goal-directed action (rather than a habit) when a second behavior is added and reinforced during intermixed final sessions (Shipman et al., 2018). The present experiments were designed to explore and understand this finding. All used the taste aversion method of devaluing the reinforcer to distinguish between goal-directed actions and habits. Experiment 1 confirmed that reinforcing a second response in a separate context (but not mere exposure to that context) can return an extensively-trained habit to the status of goal-directed action. Experiment 2 showed that training of the second response needs to be intermixed with training of the first response to produce this effect; training the second response after the first-response training was complete preserved the first response as a habit. Experiment 3 demonstrated that reinforcing the second response with a different reinforcer breaks the habit status of the first response. Experiment 4 found that free reinforcers (that were not response-contingent) were sufficient to restore goal-directed performance. Together, the results suggest that unexpected reinforcer delivery can render a habitual response goal-directed again.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107161

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  • In Trask et al. (2020), interleaved R2 training could be reinforced by a different reinforcer, and R2 was not necessary; presenting reinforcers freely during sessions in Context B was enough to convert a habitual R1 back to action.

    “Additional experiments found that the interleaved training of R2 could be reinforced by a different reinforcer (sucrose when grain had been trained or grain when sucrose had been trained). And it turned out that R2 was not necessary; all we needed to do was present the reinforcers freely (not contingent on any response) during the sessions in Context B.”

    From Context, attention, and the switch between habit and goal-direction in behavior (2021) · cites this paper as Trask et al., 2020

  • In Trask et al. (2020), when R1 was trained without interleaved R2 training, or when R2 training began after R1 training had finished, reinforcer devaluation tests determined that R1 was a habit.

    “When R1 was trained the same way but without the interleaved R2 training, or when R2 training began after R1 training had finished, reinforcer devaluation tests determined that R1 was indeed a habit.”

    From Context, attention, and the switch between habit and goal-direction in behavior (2021) · cites this paper as Trask et al., 2020

  • The causal factor for conversion of a habitual R1 back to action seemed to be unexpected reinforcers delivered in Context B during sessions interleaved with the final R1 sessions in Context A.

    “Thus, the causal factor seemed to be the unexpected reinforcers delivered in Context B during sessions interleaved with the final R1 sessions in Context A. These were enough to convert a habitual R1 back to action.”

    From Context, attention, and the switch between habit and goal-direction in behavior (2021) · cites this paper as Trask et al., 2020

  • Surprising reinforcers may provide a form of context change to activate action after habit learning.

    “To explain why the presentation of surprising reinforcers also seems to activate action after habit learning (Bouton et al., 2020; Trask et al., 2020), we could thus note that they may provide a form of context change (e.g., Bouton et al., 2021b).”

    From Context, attention, and the switch between habit and goal-direction in behavior (2021) · cites this paper as Trask et al., 2020

  • On the attention-modulation account, the switch back to R-O after unexpected reinforcers or context change would be created by merely increasing attention to R and the consequent associative retrieval of O.

    “On this account, the switch back to R-O after unexpected reinforcers or context change (Bouton et al., 2020; Steinfeld & Bouton, 2021; Trask et al., 2020) would be created by merely increasing attention to R (and the consequent associative retrieval of O).”

    From Context, attention, and the switch between habit and goal-direction in behavior (2021) · cites this paper as Trask et al., 2020

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Authors
Trask, S., Shipman, M. L., Green, J. T., & Bouton, M. E.
Affiliations
University of Vermont (US)
Corresponding author
Bouton, Mark E.
ORCID
Venue
Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-03
Volume
169
Pages
107161
ISSN
1074-7427 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107161
PMC
PMC7787053
OpenAlex
W2999533881
Cited by
63
References
40
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 30 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 1
FWCI
3.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
Keywords
goal-directed behavior, habit, instrumental behavior, currency devaluation, taste aversion
MeSH terms
Animals, Behavior, Animal, Conditioning, Operant, Goals, Habits, Male, Reinforcement, Psychology, Rats, Wistar

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