Measuring Habit Formation Through Goal-Directed Response Switching

Reward-learning theory views habits as stimulus-response links formed through extended reward training. Accordingly, animal research has shown that actions that are initially goal-directed can become habitual after operant overtraining. However, a similar demonstration is absent in human research, w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of experimental psychology. General 2020-08, Vol.149 (8), p.1449-1459
Main Authors: Luque, David, Molinero, Sara, Watson, Poppy, López, Francisco J, Le Pelley, Mike E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Animal Research
Conditioning, Operant - physiology
Female
Goal Orientation
Goals
Habits
Human
Humans
Learning
Male
Overlearning
Psychology
Reaction Time
Reaction Time - physiology
Response Parameters
Reward
Rewards
Task Switching
Training
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Summary:Reward-learning theory views habits as stimulus-response links formed through extended reward training. Accordingly, animal research has shown that actions that are initially goal-directed can become habitual after operant overtraining. However, a similar demonstration is absent in human research, which poses a serious problem for translational models of behavior. We propose that response-time (RT) switch cost after operant training can be used as a new, reliable marker for the operation of the habit system in humans. Using a new method, we show that RT switch cost demonstrates the properties that would be expected of a habitual behavior: (a) it increases with overtraining, (b) it increases when rewards are larger, and (c) it increases when time pressure is added to the task, thereby hindering the competing goal-directed system. These results offer a promising new pathway for studying the operation of the habit system in humans.
ISSN:0096-3445
1939-2222
DOI:10.1037/xge0000722