The role of outcome affective value in driving human Pavlovian learning

Article Article scientifique Article The role of outcome affective value in driving human Pavlovian learning eng 2026-05-11 author Dalbagno Daniela 0000-0002-4027-8942 Department of Psychology, Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna. 430307 author Stussi Yoann 0000-0002-8601-6737 Campus Biotech, Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva. 700303 Section de psychologie (PSICO) author Pool Eva Campus Biotech, Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva. 699771 Section de psychologie (PSICO) author Betti Sonia Department of General Psychology, University of Padova. author Garofalo Sara Department of Psychology, Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna. author Sander David Campus Biotech, Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva. 558712 Section de psychologie (PSICO) author di Pellegrino Giuseppe 0000-0001-7080-4758 Department of Psychology, Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna. author Starita Francesca Department of Psychology, Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna. 10.1037/xan0000433 42113246 2329-8456 https://doi.apa.org/doi/10.1037/xan0000433 Understanding how outcome affective value influences Pavlovian learning is critical for elucidating the mechanisms underlying human emotional learning. In this study, participants completed a Pavlovian conditioning task involving outcomes varying in their level of aversiveness: a tactile (nonaversive) or painful (aversive) shock, and no-shock. Skin conductance responses (SCRs), explicit pleasantness ratings of each CS, and CS-outcome contingency ratings were recorded. Although both painful and tactile outcomes elicited unconditioned SCRs, with greater responses for the former, only the painful outcome triggered anticipatory conditioned SCRs and robust prediction error-related SCRs following its unexpected omission. Computational modeling, through a Rescorla-Wagner model, revealed that prediction errors estimated by the model significantly predicted SCRs following painful outcome omissions, confirming their role as prediction error signals. In addition, the model-derived outcome sensitivity parameter, reflecting the affective value assigned to the different outcomes by each participant, was higher for painful than tactile stimuli, effectively discriminating between them, whereas learning rates did not differ across outcomes. These findings refine our understanding of emotional learning by showing how the affective value of the outcome shapes the predictive mechanisms underlying conditioned responding, as revealed through converging autonomic, explicit, and computational modeling evidence. Pavlovian learning Affective value Prediction error Computational modeling Skin conductance response Dewey 128.37 Dewey 150 15 Centre interfacultaire en sciences affectives 0D8 108 Section de psychologie 71 false 1241 Affective sciences 593 Emergence et expression de l'émotion (E3 Lab) 1453 Affect, apprentissage et décisions (ALD LAB) https://osf.io/kszft/ Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition 6e0d8f7b-b2b9-4283-b39d-ba57a9ddea24 Article (Published version) Restricted dalbagno_2026_jepalc.pdf 1752175 application/pdf 36f215c1d9e938839aacaf278911cab5498b2c802397cdc012b4fbe38c2d1882 4b56bc57-fb98-4be9-82ff-9653da9b6d51 Article (Submitted version) Public dalbagno_2026_jepalc_submitted.pdf 1859908 application/pdf CC BY-4.0 f9aff8f0e03c07215d35618b230a4ac62621cf3fa14b7174202a5388e3dd5eea openAccess Centres et instituts / Centre interfacultaire en sciences affectives Faculté de psychologie et des sciences de l'éducation / Section de psychologie

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The role of outcome affective value in driving human Pavlovian learning	Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition			2026	16	55

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Dalbagno, Daniela