Effect of Feedback Valence on Family Resemblance Category Learning

This research uses ERPs method to study how different valence of feedback influence family resemblance category learning. The results showed that at the behavioral level, participants in the negative feedback condition received higher test scores than those in the positive feedback condition; at the physiological level, the four kinds of ERPs evoked by both negative and positive feedback are P200, P300, and FRN. Compared with the non-feedback condition, P300 is more sensitive to negative feedback, and negative feedback induces larger amplitude, while P300 is not sensitive to positive feedback. For both negative and positive feedback, when feedback was presented after 200-300ms, the reaction to errors induced FRN production, and FRN produced under negative feedback condition led to more activation. This research has deepened our understanding of the influence of feedback valence on category learning from the brain mechanisms as well.