How the environment evokes actions that lead to different goals: the role of object multi-functionality in pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer.

ABSTRACT: Research shows that stimuli in the environment can trigger behavior via the activation of goal representations. This process can be tested in the Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) paradigm, where stimuli can only affect behavior through the activation of the representation of its desired outcome (i.e., the PIT effect). Previous research has demonstrated that the PIT effect is stronger when the goal is more desirable. While this research only looked at actions that have single outcomes (e.g., obtaining a snack to satisfy appetite), in the present paper, we reason that actions that are instrumental in obtaining outcomes that are desirable in multiple ways (e.g., obtaining a snack to satisfy one's appetite, giving it to a friend, trading it for money) should produce stronger PIT effect

SUBMITTER: Qin K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10088748 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature