The feedback people receive on their behavior shapes the process of belief formation and self-efficacy in mastering a given task. The neural and computational mechanisms of how the subjective value of these beliefs and corresponding affect bias the learning process are yet unclear. Here we investigate this question during learning of self-efficacy beliefs using fMRI, pupillometry, computational modeling and individual differences in affective experience. Biases in the formation of self-efficacy beliefs were associated with affect, pupil dilation and neural activity within the anterior insula, amygdala, VTA/SN, and mPFC. Specifically, neural and pupil responses map the valence of the prediction errors in correspondence to the experienced affect and learning bias people show during belief formation. Together with the functional connectivity dynamics of the anterior insula within this network our results hint towards neural and computational mechanisms that integrate affect in the process of belief formation.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2021/11/01/2021.10.26.465922.full.pdf

Computational and neural mechanisms of affected beliefs

The feedback people receive on their behavior shapes the process of belief formation and self-efficacy in mastering a particular task. However, the neural and computational mechanisms of how the subjective value of self-efficacy beliefs, and the corresponding affect, influence the learning process remain unclear. We investigated these mechanisms during self-efficacy belief formation using fMRI, pupillometry, and computational modeling, and by analyzing individual differences in affective experience. Biases in the formation of self-efficacy beliefs were associated with affect, pupil dilation, and neural activity within the anterior insula, amygdala, ventral tegmental area/ substantia nigra, and mPFC. Specifically, neural and pupil responses mapped the valence of the prediction errors in correspondence with individuals' experienced affective states and learning biases during self-efficacy belief formation. Together with the functional connectivity dynamics of the anterior insula within this network, our results provide evidence for neural and computational mechanisms of how we arrive at affected beliefs. 

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Alexander Schröder

Papers

Computational and neural mechanisms of affected beliefs

Neurocomputational mechanisms of affected beliefs