Empirical data from the no-feedback condition (green bars), in which subjects could avoid categorization by “skipping” the trial, and the feedback condition (orange bars) in which avoidance responses generated informational feedback.

Abstract

<p>Subjects in the no-feedback condition made more optimal classification responses (A) and avoided (skipped) more punishment-based trials (B) than subjects in the feedback condition. When these measures were combined into an overall measure of adaptive responses (optimal classification plus avoidance of punishment-based trials), subjects the no-feedback condition showed better performance on both reward-based and punishment-based trials (C), resulting in significantly more total points accrued by subjects in the no-feedback condition (D). In this and subsequent figures, error bars represent SEM.</p