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Random isn't real: How the patchy distribution of ecological rewards may generate “incentive hope”

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2019

Laurel Symes Open the ORCID record for Laurel Symes [Opens in a new window]  and
Thalia Wheatley Open the ORCID record for Thalia Wheatley [Opens in a new window]
Laurel Symes
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755. [email protected]@dartmouth.eduwww.laurelsymes.com Bioacoustics Research Program, Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850.
Thalia Wheatley
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755. [email protected]@dartmouth.eduwww.laurelsymes.com
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Abstract

Anselme & Güntürkün generate exciting new insights by integrating two disparate fields to explain why uncertain rewards produce strong motivational effects. Their conclusions are developed in a framework that assumes a random distribution of resources, uncommon in the natural environment. We argue that, by considering a realistically clumped spatiotemporal distribution of resources, their conclusions will be stronger and more complete.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 42 , 2019 , e53
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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