Disorders of compulsivity: a common bias towards learning habits

Why do we repeat choices that we know are bad for us? Decision making is characterized by the parallel engagement of two distinct systems, goal-directed and habitual, thought to arise from two computational learning mechanisms, model-based and model-free. The habitual system is a candidate source of pathological fixedness. Using a decision task that measures the contribution to learning of either mechanism, we show a bias towards model-free (habit) acquisition in disorders involving both natural (binge eating) and artificial (methamphetamine) rewards, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. This favoring of model-free learning may underlie the repetitive behaviors that ultimately dominate in these disorders.…

• NC
  National Center for Responsible Gaming
• WT
  Wellcome Trust

  Award: 089589/Z/09/Z
• NI
  National Institute for Health and Care Research
• GC
  Gatsby Charitable Foundation
• MR
  Medical Research Council

  Award: 089589/Z/09/Z