Learning from feedback is independent from feedback visibility, but supported by aperiodic neural activity

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • DanDan Liu - , Shandong Normal University, Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie (Autor:in)
  • Shiwei Jia - , Shandong Normal University, Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie (Autor:in)
  • Yanliang Sun - , Shandong Normal University, Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie (Autor:in)
  • Lorenza Colzato - , Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, Shandong Normal University (Autor:in)
  • Bernhard Hommel - , Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, Shandong Normal University (Autor:in)

Abstract

Humans and other animals learn from feedback, by tending to repeat rewarded behavior and change behavior that receives negative feedback. Previous findings suggest that feedback does not need to be consciously perceived in order to be effective. Using continuous flash suppression, we presented participants with visible and invisible positive and negative feedback during a time estimation task while recording EEG. Behavioral results showed that both visible and invisible feedback significantly influenced time estimation error and adjustment in trial N+1, suggesting that subliminal reward information can be effectively utilized. Electrophysiological indicators (reward positivity, P3a, theta activity, aperiodic exponent) showed feedback-valence effects, but only when the feedback was visible. Performance in trial N+1 was successfully predicted by the aperiodic exponent only. These findings suggest that (1) behavioral control is independent from conscious perception of feedback signals; (2) the valence sensitivity of electrophysiological indicators is not informative for effective learning or the impact of feedback on behavioral control; and (3) the general neural state, as characterized by the aperiodic exponent, is predictive of the quality of learning from feedback, with steeper exponents providing the most supportive conditions for learning.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummer121894
FachzeitschriftNeuroImage
Jahrgang331
Frühes Online-Datum26 März 2026
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 1 Mai 2026
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

ORCID /0000-0003-4731-5125/work/210351561
Mendeley d21812ef-41b5-36f2-bf17-6ea1d6b0c15d
Scopus 105033887313

Schlagworte

Schlagwörter

  • FOOOF, Invisible feedback, Reinforcement learning, Continuous flash suppression paradigm (CFS), Reward positivity (REWP), Aperiodic exponent, P3a