Oscillatory signatures of reward prediction errors in declarative learning

Abstract

Reward prediction errors (RPEs) are crucial to learning. Whereas these mismatches between reward expectation and reward outcome are known to drive procedural learning, their role in declarative learning remains underexplored. Earlier work from our lab addressed this, and consistently found that signed reward prediction errors (SRPEs; "better-than-expected" signals) boost declarative learning. In the current EEG study, we sought to explore the neural signatures of SRPEs. Participants studied 60 Dutch-Swahili word pairs while RPE magnitudes were parametrically manipulated. Behaviorally, we replicated our previous findings that SRPEs drive declarative learning, with increased recognition for word pairs accompanied by large, positive RPEs. In the EEG data, at the start of reward feedback processing, we found an oscillatory (theta) signature consistent with unsigned reward prediction errors (URPEs; "different-than-expected" signals). Slightly later during reward feedback processing, we observed oscillatory (high-beta and high-alpha) signatures for SRPEs during reward feedback, similar to SRPE signatures during procedural learning. These findings illuminate the time course of neural oscillations in processing reward during declarative learning, providing important constraints for future theoretical work.

Keywords: Declarative learning; EEG; Oscillatory signatures of reward processing; Signed reward prediction error.