Subjective and model-estimated reward prediction: Association with the feedback-related negativity (FRN) and reward prediction error in a reinforcement learning task

In this study, we examined whether the feedback-related negativity (FRN) is associated with both subjective and objective (model-estimated) reward prediction errors (RPE) per trial in a reinforcement learning task in healthy adults (n = 25). The level of RPE was assessed by 1) subjective ratings per trial and by 2) a computational model of reinforcement learning. As results, model-estimated RPE was highly correlated with subjective RPE (r = .82), and the grand-averaged ERP waves based on the trials with high and low model-estimated RPE showed the significant difference only in the time period of the FRN component (p < .05). Regardless of the time course of learning, FRN was associated with both subjective and model-estimated RPEs within subject (r = .47, p < .001; r = .40, p < .05) and between subjects (r = .33, p < .05; r = .41, p < .005) only in the Learnable condition where the internal reward prediction varied enough with a behavior–reward contingency.

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► FRN was associated with both subjective and model-estimated RPEs.
► FRN was not associated with the time course of learning.
► Subjective RPE was correlated with model-estimated RPE.