Daniel Braun (Max Planck Institute Biological Cybernetics, Research Group Sensorimotor Learning and Decision-Making, Tübingen, Germany)
When |
Nov 06, 2012
from 05:15 PM to 06:45 PM |
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Where | Lecture Hall, Hansastr. 9a |
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The Bernstein Center Freiburg Bernstein Seminar | |
Daniel Braun Max Planck Institute Biological Cybernetics Research Group Sensorimotor Learning and Decision-Making Tübingen, Germany Risk-sensitivity in motor control | |
Tuesday, November 6, 2012 17:15 h | Lecture Hall (ground floor) Bernstein Center Freiburg Hansastraße 9A 79104 Freiburg |
Abstract: Recent advances in theoretical neuroscience suggest that motor control can be considered as a continuous decision-making process in which uncertainty plays a key role. Decision-makers can be risk-sensitive with respect to this uncertainty in that they may not only consider the average payoff of an outcome, but also consider the variability of the payoffs. Although such risk-sensitivity is a well-established phenomenon in psychology and economics, it has been much less studied in motor control. In fact, leading theories of motor control, such as optimal feedback control, assume that motor behaviors can be explained as the optimization of a given expected payoff or cost. Here we discuss evidence that humans exhibit risk-sensitivity in their motor behaviors, thereby demonstrating sensitivity to the variability of “motor costs.” Furthermore, we discuss how risk-sensitivity can be incorporated into optimal feedback control models of motor control. We conclude that risk-sensitivity is an important concept in understanding individual motor behavior under uncertainty. | |
Host: Ad Aertsen | |
The talk is open to the public. Guests are cordially invited! www.bcf.uni-freiburg.de |