Entering into a self-regulated learning mode prevents detrimental effect of feedback removal on memory

Abstract

Recently, we provided causal evidence that self-regulated dopamine signaling enhanced long-term memory formation in the absence of any external feedback or reward (Ripolles et al., 2016, 2018) if a congruent meaning inferred from semantic context (DA-dependent learning), while DA-signals were absent if no congruent meaning could be inferred (DA-independent learning). Here, we investigated the interaction of self-regulated learning with externally-regulated DA-signalling by providing external performance feedback in the first or second half of trials. We found that removing feedback during DA-dependent learning lowered subsequent recognition rates a day later, whereas recognition remained high in the group which received feedback only in the second half. In contrast, feedback modestly enhanced recognition rates for both groups for DA-independent learning. Our findings suggest that external reinforcers can selectively impair DA-dependent memories if internal DA-dependent processes are not already established and highlights the relevance of self-regulated learning in education to support stable memory formation.