Exploration-Exploitation Dilemma in Young Adults: The Role of Contingencies and Individual Differences

Abstract

Avoidance is an essential feature of anxiety disorders, whereby individuals reduce their fear and anxiety by avoiding specific objects or situations. Exploration-exploitation dilemma (EED) can be employed to explore avoidance learning. Despite many factors influencing EED, it was unclear how unexpected outcomes influence the EED choices, such as when the previously rewarding stimulus becomes aversive. Moreover, it was unclear how trait anxiety (TA) and worrying influenced EED. It was important to explore whether combining these factors better predicted avoidance in the EED, as previous research showed they were associated with avoidance. We hypothesized that participants would explore more after the previously rewarding stimulus becomes aversive and that increased TA and worrying levels will be associated with more exploitation and less exploration. We explored this in an experimental study with 76 healthy participants aged 18 to 33, asking them to select one of the two squares presented on the screen in two experimental blocks. Each square was associated with a probability of receiving an electrical stimulation or a digital point, which changed after the first block. Participants also filled in trait anxiety (STAI) and worrying (PSWQ) measures. Findings were assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and multiple linear regression. Participants did not explore significantly more in the second block, and TA and worrying did not significantly influence EED choices. Nevertheless, participants learned to avoid the unpleasant stimulus in both blocks, demonstrating persistent avoidance. Future research should explore the influence of age on EED and the preference for exploration.