Explore-exploit decisions require us to trade off the benefits of exploring unknown options to
learn more about them, with exploiting known options, for immediate reward. Such decisions …

We review the current state of knowledge on the computational and neural mechanisms of
reinforcement-learning with a particular focus on fronto-striatal circuits. We divide the …

We propose that the entirety of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) can be seen as fundamentally
premotor in nature. By this, we mean that the PFC consists of an action abstraction hierarchy …

Flexible decision-making requires animals to forego immediate rewards (exploitation) and
try novel choice options (exploration) to discover if they are preferable to familiar …

Humans are highly adept at differentiating, regulating, and responding to their emotions. At
the core of all these functions is emotional awareness: the conscious feeling states that are …

Changes in cognition, affect, and brain function combine to promote a shift in the nature of
mentation in older adulthood, favoring exploitation of prior knowledge over exploratory …

Hypotheses and beliefs guide credit assignment–the process of determining which previous
events or actions caused an outcome. Adaptive hypothesis formation and testing are crucial …

The ability to adjust one's behavioral strategy in complex environments is at the core of
cognition. Doing so efficiently requires monitoring the reliability of the ongoing strategy and …

Goal-directed behavior requires identifying objects in the environment that can satisfy
internal needs and executing actions to obtain those objects. The current study examines …

Humans have been shown to strategically explore. They can identify situations in which
gathering information about distant and uncertain options is beneficial for the future …