Contents
Lecture 6 – Emotion: Reward and Motivation ........................................................................................ 2
Contextualising emotions ................................................................................................................... 2
Stimulus evaluation in the Orbitofrontal Cortex ................................................................................ 2
Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Response evaluation in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex....................................................................... 4
Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 7
Motivation evaluation in the Ventral Striatum ................................................................................... 7
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 10
Summary for this Session .................................................................................................................. 10
, Lecture 6 – Emotion: Reward and Motivation
Topics in the session
- Stimulus evaluation in the Orbitofrontal Cortex
- Response evaluation in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex
- Motivation evaluation in the Ventral Striatum
Contextualising emotions
Why do we do the things that we do?
- To satisfy a basic need, e.g., hunger
- Because they bring pleasure now
- Because they will bring pleasure in the future
- Because we feel ‘compelled’ to (subconscious)
- To avoid unpleasant consequences
- Most things are done because of a combination of some of these
Rewards & Punishments (Reinforcement)
- Motivationally salient stimuli that change the frequency of a behaviour
- Positive reinforcement:
o food, drugs, sex (primary reinforcers)
o money, praise
- Negative reinforcement:
o painful stimulation, cold, nausea (primary)
o Disapproval (social)
- How does the brain know if something is a reward or a punishment?
Stimulus evaluation in the Orbitofrontal Cortex
Orbitofrontal Cortex (OFC) Assesses the Value of A Stimulus
- Computing the current value of a stimulus in context
- Its right next to the eye sockets
- Sometimes called the ventral frontal cortex
- The medial (middle) OFC seems to represent the good
things
- The lateral OFC represents the bad things
Lecture 6 – Emotion: Reward and Motivation ........................................................................................ 2
Contextualising emotions ................................................................................................................... 2
Stimulus evaluation in the Orbitofrontal Cortex ................................................................................ 2
Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Response evaluation in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex....................................................................... 4
Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 7
Motivation evaluation in the Ventral Striatum ................................................................................... 7
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 10
Summary for this Session .................................................................................................................. 10
, Lecture 6 – Emotion: Reward and Motivation
Topics in the session
- Stimulus evaluation in the Orbitofrontal Cortex
- Response evaluation in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex
- Motivation evaluation in the Ventral Striatum
Contextualising emotions
Why do we do the things that we do?
- To satisfy a basic need, e.g., hunger
- Because they bring pleasure now
- Because they will bring pleasure in the future
- Because we feel ‘compelled’ to (subconscious)
- To avoid unpleasant consequences
- Most things are done because of a combination of some of these
Rewards & Punishments (Reinforcement)
- Motivationally salient stimuli that change the frequency of a behaviour
- Positive reinforcement:
o food, drugs, sex (primary reinforcers)
o money, praise
- Negative reinforcement:
o painful stimulation, cold, nausea (primary)
o Disapproval (social)
- How does the brain know if something is a reward or a punishment?
Stimulus evaluation in the Orbitofrontal Cortex
Orbitofrontal Cortex (OFC) Assesses the Value of A Stimulus
- Computing the current value of a stimulus in context
- Its right next to the eye sockets
- Sometimes called the ventral frontal cortex
- The medial (middle) OFC seems to represent the good
things
- The lateral OFC represents the bad things
