Choosing while losing: Action dynamics during learning in approach and avoidance contexts
Hand, Avril
Hand, Avril
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Publication Date
2024-12-16
Keywords
Gains and Losses, Mouse-tracking, Learning, Decision Making, Affect, Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinforcement, Hover Procedure, Hover-delay Procedure, Click Procedure, Response Completion Procedure, Feedback, Loss-framing, Gain-framing, Framing, Loss Aversion, Relative Magnitude, Response Trajectories, Movement and Evaluation, Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, Psychology
Type
doctoral thesis
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Abstract
This thesis explored the interplay between affect and evaluation during decision making. Across four experiments, the effects of expected gains and losses on affect, the dynamics of learning and response movement were analysed. In addition, the thesis employed mouse-tracking and investigated whether changes in response movement requirements moderated these effects. Three different response completion procedures (RCPs) were employed across the four experiments; click, hover, and hover-delay procedures. Several findings consistently emerged across experiments. Negative affect was heightened following sessions of loss-framed decisions compared to gain-framed decisions. Loss-framed decisions enhanced learning, increased response times, and influenced within-decision dynamics. As the magnitude ratio between options increased, participants were more likely to reliably select the better option in both gain and loss decisions. Choices between two poor outcomes (i.e., Worst/Worst decisions with low positive or high negative values) elicited greater motor conflict, as reflected in higher response times, trajectory curvature, and complexity. Although the decision outcomes and other experimental features remained constant across experiments, variations in RCPs affected learning and decision making. The findings highlight the contextual nature of loss aversion particularly within mouse-tracking paradigms. RCPs either amplified or reduced the effects of loss framing on decision making, emphasizing the role of framing and feedback in shaping learning, performance, affect, and conflict. While loss conditions enhanced learning, the associated costs outweighed the benefits. Positive reinforcement is recommended as a more effective approach, particularly in work and educational contexts, where task duration and motivation are critical.
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Publisher
University of Galway
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Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International