Feedback reliability modulates learning-related dynamics of midfrontal error monitoring

Feedback reliability modulates learning-related midfrontal error monitoring: phase-locked midfrontal theta and error/feedback negativities strengthen across deterministic learning (100%), but are attenuated with probabilistic learning (75%).

• Why it matters: Learning depends on evaluating both outcomes and how trustworthy the feedback is, yet how neural monitoring dynamics adapt to feedback reliability is unclear.
• What they did: In two within-subject associative learning tasks with different stimulus materials, participants learned under deterministic (100% reliable) versus probabilistic (75% reliable) feedback while EEG tracked error-related negativity, feedback-related negativity, and midfrontal theta.
• The result: Across deterministic learning, error-related negativity, feedback-related negativity, and phase-locked midfrontal theta progressively increased (especially in the image-image task), while induced theta decreased; probabilistic feedback showed the opposite pattern, implying distinct learning-adaptation components.

AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.