title: Boosting perceptual learning by fake feedback.
abstract: How does the brain control its sensory plasticity using performance feedback? We examined this question using various types of fake feedback in perceptual learning paradigm. We demonstrated that fake feedback indicating a larger performance improvement facilitated learning compared with genuine feedback. Variance of the fake feedback modulated learning as well, suggesting that feedback uncertainty can be internally evaluated. These results were explained by a computational model which controlled the learning rate of the visual system based on Bayesian estimation of performance gradient incorporating an optimistic bias. Our findings suggest that sensory plasticity might be controlled by high-level cognitive processes.
authors.affiliation: ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories, Hikaridai 2-2-2, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto 619-0288, Japan. kazuhi-s@atr.jp
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawato
mesh_terms: D030141:Feedback, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011601:Psychophysics; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*