Pseudo Learning and Real Learning and its Contributions to the Posterior Frontomedian Cortex (pFMC)

The posterior frontomedian cortex (pFMC) was identified as being involved in decision conflict due to knowledge deficits (Volz et al., 2004a). The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate if activation within the pFMC is reduced only by increasing knowledge (real learning, RL), or also by increasing the frequency of positive feedback without any gain in knowledge (pseudo learning, PL). In a simple forced-choice paradigm participants were naive about valid decision rules and asked to search for valid ones. In the RL condition participants were provided with valid feedback inf…