Reward Processing and Learning

Understanding the mechanisms of reward learning and processing is essential for uncovering the development and persistence of maladaptive behaviors that underlie mental health disorders, including addiction. By examining behavioral and attentional responses to reward-related stimuli, such as alcohol cues or monetary outcomes, we have identified key mechanisms contributing to the aetiology and risk of addiction. These methods also enable us to explore the interaction between explicit and implicit processes that drive maladaptive reward responses. This comprehensive understanding has led to the development of targeted cognitive interventions aimed at modifying reward responses and improving clinical outcomes.

To investigate (mal)adaptive reward processing, we mainly utilize cognitive experimental tasks, such as the Value Modulated Attentional Capture task (VMAC; see recent publication), which was developed and further adapted by our colleagues in Australia, Mike Le Pelley (UNSW Sydney) and Lucy Albertella (Monash University). At the ADAPT Lab, we continually work to enhance the psychometric properties of these tasks (e.g., novel Dual Probe task) while also striving to create novel, reliable tools for assessing reward learning.