Breaking the bonds of reinforcement: Effects of trial outcome, rule consistency and rule complexity against exploitable and unexploitable opponents

PLoS One. 2022 Feb 2;17(2):e0262249. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262249. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

In two experiments, we used the simple zero-sum game Rock, Paper and Scissors to study the common reinforcement-based rules of repeating choices after winning (win-stay) and shifting from previous choice options after losing (lose-shift). Participants played the game against both computer opponents who could not be exploited and computer opponents who could be exploited by making choices that would at times conflict with reinforcement. Against unexploitable opponents, participants achieved an approximation of random behavior, contrary to previous research commonly finding reinforcement biases. Against exploitable opponents, the participants learned to exploit the opponent regardless of whether optimal choices conflicted with reinforcement or not. The data suggest that learning a rule that allows one to exploit was largely determined by the outcome of the previous trial.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Game Theory
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Reinforcement, Psychology*
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

JS and BJD received funding from the School of Psychology, University of Sussex for this work (this work was conducted as part of JS's PhD thesis at the University of Sussex). JS also received a personal grant for his PhD from Osk. Huttunen Foundation (grant number 194). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.