nussenbaum_2023_novelty
One experiment (exp0, N = 122) with participants aged 8–27. In each of 10 blocks (~15 trials each), a creature hid a coin under one of two presented stimuli and participants chose between the two; reward probabilities were re-randomized per block and the design decoupled novelty (how many times a stimulus had been seen) from uncertainty (the spread of the belief about reward). Trial-level data include the binary choice, RT, reward outcome, per-block reward probabilities, and cumulative selection/rejection/win/loss/exposure histories per stimulus, plus a surprise memory test after the task. Participants also completed WASI IQ subtests. The research question was how age moderates novelty-seeking vs. uncertainty-aversion as drivers of exploration, tested with computational reinforcement-learning models.
Responses
19,415
1,906 held out
CORE effects
–
no effects simulated
CORE test NLL (avg)
0.605
rank 1 of 7 models
Best model
CORE
test NLL (avg) 0.605
Likelihood of human responses
| model | PNLL | test NLL (avg) | test responses | train NLL (avg) | train responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CORE best | 1,153.7 | 0.6053 | 1,906 | 0.6164 | 17,509 |
| CORE (no prediction errors) | 1,164.4 | 0.6109 | 1,906 | 0.6108 | 17,509 |
| CORE (no phonemes) | 1,200.5 | 0.6298 | 1,906 | 0.5314 | 17,509 |
| CORE (no forgetting) | 1,441.3 | 0.7562 | 1,906 | 0.7394 | 17,509 |
| CORE (no hierarchy) | 1,486.9 | 0.7801 | 1,906 | 0.7734 | 17,509 |
| Transformer | 1,451.7 | 0.7617 | 1,906 | 0.7363 | 17,509 |
| Centaur | 1,288.1 | 0.6758 | 1,906 | – | – |
Experiments
| exp | task class | participants | responses | conditions | simulated | effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| exp0 | NoveltyExploration | 122 | 19,415 | 1 | no | – |
Behavioral effects
No behavioral effects were simulated for this study.
Transcript
An enchanted kingdom needs gold coins to build a bridge to unite two sides. Various creatures have hidden coins in hiding spots around different territories. On each trial you search one of two hiding spots for a coin. Each creature has its own favorite hiding spots, which stay stable throughout its block, but a creature does not always hide its coin in its favorite spot. Every new creature has different favorite spots, so the odds reset at each new block. Block: a new creature hides coins in a new territory. Its favorite hiding spots are unknown to you. You see mossRock and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see mossRock and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see mossRock and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see mossRock and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see campfire and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and mossRock (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see campfire and mossRock (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see rockPile and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see rockPile and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see rockPile and mossRock (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see mossRock and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see mossRock and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see campfire and mossRock (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see mossRock and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. Block: a new creature hides coins in a new territory. Its favorite hiding spots are unknown to you. You see campfire and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see corn and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see campfire and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see corn and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see corn and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see mossRock and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see mossRock and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see corn and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see campfire and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see campfire and mossRock (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see corn and mossRock (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see mossRock and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. Block: a new creature hides coins in a new territory. Its favorite hiding spots are unknown to you. You see campfire and mossRock (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see mossRock and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see mossRock and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see mossRock and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see mossRock and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and mossRock (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and mossRock (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see campfire and pumpkinCluster (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see mossRock and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see campfire and pumpkinCluster (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and mossRock (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see campfire and mossRock (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see mossRock and pumpkinCluster (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and pumpkinCluster (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. Block: a new creature hides coins in a new territory. Its favorite hiding spots are unknown to you. You see rockPile and birdNest (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see rockPile and birdNest (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see birdNest and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see birdNest and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see rockPile and birdNest (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see rockPile and birdNest (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see rockPile and birdNest (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see birdNest and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see birdNest and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see rockPile and birdNest (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see birdNest and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see birdNest and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see birdNest and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see birdNest and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see birdNest and rockPile (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. Block: a new creature hides coins in a new territory. Its favorite hiding spots are unknown to you. You see pumpkinCluster and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and pumpkinCluster (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see campfire and pumpkinCluster (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and pumpkinCluster (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and pumpkinCluster (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see campfire and pumpkinCluster (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and treeDoor (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. Block: a new creature hides coins in a new territory. Its favorite hiding spots are unknown to you. You see leaves and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see leaves and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see campfire and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see campfire and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see campfire and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see campfire and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see leaves and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see leaves and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see corn and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see leaves and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. Block: a new creature hides coins in a new territory. Its favorite hiding spots are unknown to you. You see pumpkinCluster and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see corn and pumpkinCluster (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see corn and pumpkinCluster (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see pumpkinCluster and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see cabin and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see cabin and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see cabin and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see cabin and corn (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. Block: a new creature hides coins in a new territory. Its favorite hiding spots are unknown to you. You see watermelon and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see campfire and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see campfire and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see campfire and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see campfire and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see watermelon and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see campfire and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see campfire and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see birdNest and campfire (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see watermelon and birdNest (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see campfire and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see birdNest and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see campfire and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see birdNest and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see watermelon and birdNest (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. Block: a new creature hides coins in a new territory. Its favorite hiding spots are unknown to you. You see leaves and cabin (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see cabin and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see cabin and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see leaves and cabin (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see cabin and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see leaves and cabin (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see leaves and cabin (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see cabin and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see cabin and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see leaves and appleTree (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see cabin and appleTree (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see appleTree and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see appleTree and cabin (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see leaves and appleTree (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see cabin and appleTree (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. Block: a new creature hides coins in a new territory. Its favorite hiding spots are unknown to you. You see vines and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see watermelon and vines (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see vines and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. You see watermelon and vines (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see watermelon and vines (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see vines and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see watermelon and vines (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see watermelon and vines (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see vines and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see watermelon and vines (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see vines and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You find a coin. You see vines and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see watermelon and vines (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You find a coin. You see vines and watermelon (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press B. You do not find a coin. You see vines and leaves (A = the first spot, B = the second). You press A. You do not find a coin. Surprise memory test: each of the ten creatures appears one at a time, and you must recall which of its hiding spots was its favorite. Five spots are shown at once, labeled A, B, C, D and E in the order they appear. Press the letter of the spot you think was the creature's favorite. Creature from territory 5: five hiding spots shown, A = mossRock, B = pumpkinCluster, C = cherryBlossom, D = campfire, E = treeDoor. You press B. Creature from territory 8: five hiding spots shown, A = watermelon, B = campfire, C = birdNest, D = cattail, E = treeDoor. You press A. Creature from territory 1: five hiding spots shown, A = mossRock, B = mushroom, C = leaves, D = rockPile, E = campfire. You press D. Creature from territory 10: five hiding spots shown, A = watermelon, B = leaves, C = vines, D = yellowTree, E = mossRock. You press C. Creature from territory 7: five hiding spots shown, A = cabin, B = pumpkinCluster, C = birdNest, D = corn, E = windmill. You press C. Creature from territory 2: five hiding spots shown, A = campfire, B = corn, C = birdNest, D = mossRock, E = fort. You press A. Creature from territory 3: five hiding spots shown, A = antHill, B = mossRock, C = treeDoor, D = pumpkinCluster, E = campfire. You press B. Creature from territory 6: five hiding spots shown, A = hay, B = corn, C = leaves, D = campfire, E = birdNest. You press B. Creature from territory 4: five hiding spots shown, A = cave, B = rockPile, C = birdNest, D = mossRock, E = corn. You press B. Creature from territory 9: five hiding spots shown, A = well, B = leaves, C = mossRock, D = cabin, E = appleTree. You press D.