anygdala tagged posts

Human brains explore more to avoid losses than to seek gains

Human brains explore more to avoid losses than to seek gains
Paradigm and learning behavior in loss versus gain conditions. Credit: Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09466-1

Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science traced a neural mechanism that explains why humans explore more aggressively when avoiding losses than when pursuing gains. Their work reveals how neuronal firing and noise in the amygdala shape exploratory decision-making.

Human survival has its origins in a delicate balance of exploration versus exploitation. There is safety in exploiting what is known, the local hunting grounds, the favorite foraging location, the go-to deli with the familiar menu...

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