Neural correlates of temporal credit assignment in the parietal lobe.

ABSTRACT: Empirical studies of decision making have typically assumed that value learning is governed by time, such that a reward prediction error arising at a specific time triggers temporally-discounted learning for all preceding actions. However, in natural behavior, goals must be acquired through multiple actions, and each action can have different significance for the final outcome. As is recognized in computational research, carrying out multi-step actions requires the use of credit assignment mechanisms that focus learning on specific steps, but little is known about the neural correlates of these mechanisms. To investigate this question we recorded neurons in the monkey lateral intraparietal area (LIP) during a serial decision task where two consecutive eye movement decisions led to a final

SUBMITTER: Gersch TM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3921206 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature