Brain's Reward Map Influences Future Decisions
New research reveals how positive experiences create memory networks that guide future decisions by predicting rewarding outcomes, even in unfamiliar circumstances.
Researchers at the University of Chicago have found that the human brain creates a "reward map" linking elements from positive experiences. This map helps the brain predict rewarding outcomes, thereby guiding future decisions, even when faced with new situations.
The study, published in Cognition, indicates that reward-associated connections can spread further than previously thought through complex memory networks. This mechanism allows individuals to make "educated guesses" about what might lead to a positive result, often unconsciously.
"The idea that reward spreads through memory is not new," stated Akram Bakkour, assistant professor and researcher at the University of Chicago, in a university press release. "But we show that reward can spread through relatively complex memory structures more so than previously thought."
In the study, participants analyzed image sequences of memory clusters represented by discs with unique patterns, connected in a web-like structure. Some discs were grouped more closely as "communities," while others had weaker connections. Researchers taught participants that one disc was associated with reward and then asked them to predict which discs were most likely to lead to reward. Participants recalled reward-associated discs and those nearby with higher probability.