A research team at Bristol University used MRI technique so as to learn about how people and animals learn from their competitors, as well as from failure and successes. They scanned the brains of players as they battled against an artificial opponent in a computer game.
Results are interesting. Participants learnt from their succesful expectations but no increase in neural activity is observed when they noticed the computer doing the same type of choices. However, participants only increased levels of brain activity is observed when the computer made an unexpected mistake.
You can also get access to full study by METUnique Search
Howard-Jones, P. A., Bogacz, R., Yoo, J. H., Leonards, U., & Demetriou, S. (2010). The neural mechanisms of learning from competitors. Neuroimage, 53(2), 790-799.
Results are interesting. Participants learnt from their succesful expectations but no increase in neural activity is observed when they noticed the computer doing the same type of choices. However, participants only increased levels of brain activity is observed when the computer made an unexpected mistake.
Here is a news explaining the study in brief:
http://www.bris.ac.uk/news/2010/7262.html
You can also get access to full study by METUnique Search
Howard-Jones, P. A., Bogacz, R., Yoo, J. H., Leonards, U., & Demetriou, S. (2010). The neural mechanisms of learning from competitors. Neuroimage, 53(2), 790-799.
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