biostudies-literatureZhou JNINDS NIH HHS5899-5915https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9337599biostudies-literatureUnknown42(30)While conflict between incompatible goals has well-known effects on actions, in many situations the same action may produce harmful or beneficial consequences during different periods in a nonconflicting manner, e.g., crossing the street during a red or green light. To avoid harm, subjects must be cautious to inhibit the action specifically when it is punished, as in passive avoidance, but act when it is beneficial, as in active avoidance or active approach. In mice of both sexes performing a signaled action to avoid harm or obtain reward, we found that addition of a new rule that punishes the action when it occurs unsignaled delays the timing of the signaled action in an apparent sign of increased caution. Caution depended on task signaling, contingency, and reinforcement type. InterestinThe Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for NeuroscienceCaution Influences Avoidance and Approach Behaviors Differently.PMC9337599R01 NS104810R35 NS097272Hormigo SCastro-Alamancos MASajid MSZhou JfalseCaution Influences Avoidance and Approach Behaviors Differently.While conflict between incompatible goals has well-known effects on actions, in many situations the same action may produce harmful or beneficial consequences during different periods in a nonconflicting manner, e.g., crossing the street during a red or green light. To avoid harm, subjects must be cautious to inhibit the action specifically when it is punished, as in passive avoidance, but act when it is beneficial, as in active avoidance or active approach. In mice of both sexes performing a signaled action to avoid harm or obtain reward, we found that addition of a new rule that punishes the action when it occurs unsignaled delays the timing of the signaled action in an apparent sign of increased caution. Caution depended on task signaling, contingency, and reinforcement type. Interestin2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Jul2025-04-22T06:34:12.482Z2025-04-05T21:46:35.601ZS-EPMC93375993570549010.1523/JNEUROSCI.1892-21.202210.1523/jneurosci.1892-21.2022