Conference Proceedings

Adding prediction risk to the theory of reward learning

Kerstin Preuschoff, Peter Bossaerts, BW Balleine (ed.), K Doya (ed.), J ODoherty (ed.), M Sakagami (ed.)

REWARD AND DECISION MAKING IN CORTICOBASAL GANGLIA NETWORKS | WILEY-BLACKWELL | Published : 2007

Abstract

This article analyzes the simple Rescorla-Wagner learning rule from the vantage point of least squares learning theory. In particular, it suggests how measures of risk, such as prediction risk, can be used to adjust the learning constant in reinforcement learning. It argues that prediction risk is most effectively incorporated by scaling the prediction errors. This way, the learning rate needs adjusting only when the covariance between optimal predictions and past (scaled) prediction errors changes. Evidence is discussed that suggests that the dopaminergic system in the (human and nonhuman) primate brain encodes prediction risk, and that prediction errors are indeed scaled with prediction ri..

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University of Melbourne Researchers