Cost Optimisation of Individual-Based Institutional Reward Incentives for Promoting Cooperation in Finite Populations.

In this paper, we study the problem of cost optimisation of individual-based institutional incentives (reward, punishment, and hybrid) for guaranteeing a certain minimal level of cooperative behaviour in a well-mixed, finite population. In this scheme, the individuals in the population interact via cooperation dilemmas (Donation Game or Public Goods Game) in which institutional reward is carried out only if cooperation is not abundant enough (i.e., the number of cooperators is below a threshold 1 ≤ t ≤ N - 1 , where N is the population size); and similarly, institutional punishment is carried out only when defection is too abundant. We study analytically the cases t = 1 for the reward incentive under the small mutation limit assumption and two different initial states, showing that the cost function is always non-decreasing. We derive the neutral drift and strong selection limits when the intensity of selection tends to zero and infinity, respectively. We numerically investigate the problem for other values of t and for population dynamics with arbitrary mutation rates.

Degradation as salvation: Reflections on El Salvador's punitive prison model.

The pictures of shaven men with naked upper bodies, sitting in rows back-to-back with fellow prisoners in close proximity, sur-rounded by heavily armed guards, encapsulates the essence of El Salvador's ongoing "war on gangs".

Reinforcement learning of altruistic punishment differs between cultures and across the lifespan.

Altruistic punishment is key to establishing cooperation and maintaining social order, yet its developmental trends across cultures remain unclear. Using computational reinforcement learning models, we provided the first evidence of how social feedback dynamically influences group-biased altruistic punishment across cultures and the lifespan. Study 1 (n = 371) found that Chinese participants exhibited higher learning rates than Americans when socially incentivized to punish unfair allocations. Additionally, Chinese adults showed slower learning and less exploration when punishing ingroups than outgroups, a pattern absent in American counterparts, potentially reflecting a tendency towards ingroup favoritism that may contribute to reinforcing collectivist values. Study 2 (n = 430, aged 12-52) further showed that such ingroup favoritism develops with age. Chinese participants' learning rates for ingroup punishment decreased from adolescence into adulthood, while outgroup rates stayed constant, implying a process of cultural learning. Our findings highlight cultural and age-related variations in altruistic punishment learning, with implications for social reinforcement learning and culturally sensitive educational practices promoting fairness and altruism.

Time pressure and deliberation affect moral punishment.

The deliberate-morality account implies that moral punishment should be decreased with time pressure and increased with deliberation while the intuitive-morality account predicts the opposite. In three experiments, moral punishment was examined in a simultaneous one-shot Prisoner's Dilemma game with a costly punishment option. The players cooperated or defected and then decided whether or not to punish their partners. In Experiment 1, the punishment decisions were made without or with time pressure. In Experiment 2, the punishment decisions were immediate or delayed by pauses in which participants deliberated their decisions. In Experiment 3, participants were asked to deliberate self-interest or fairness before deciding whether to punish their partners. Different types of punishment were distinguished using the cooperation-and-punishment model. In Experiment 1, time pressure decreased moral punishment. In Experiment 2, deliberation increased moral punishment. So far, the evidence supports the deliberate-morality account. Experiment 3 demonstrates that the effect of deliberation depends on what is deliberated. When participants deliberated self-interest rather than fairness, moral punishment was decreased. The results suggest that unguided deliberation increases moral punishment, but the effects of deliberation are modulated by the type of deliberation that takes place. These results strengthen a process-based account of punishment which offers a more nuanced understanding of the context-specific effect of deliberation on moral punishment than the deliberate-morality account.

Random interval schedule of reinforcement influences punishment resistance for cocaine in rats.

In an animal model of compulsive drug use, a subset of rats continues to self-administer cocaine despite footshock consequences and is considered punishment resistant. We recently found that punishment resistance is associated with habits that persist under conditions that typically encourage a transition to goal-directed control. Given that random ratio (RR) and random interval (RI) schedules of reinforcement influence whether responding is goal-directed or habitual, we investigated the influence of these schedules on punishment resistance for cocaine or food. Male and female Sprague Dawley rats were trained to self-administer either intravenous cocaine or food pellets on a seeking-taking chained schedule of reinforcement, with the seeking lever requiring completion of either an RR20 or RI60 schedule. Rats were then given four days of punishment testing with footshock administered at the completion of seeking on a random one-third of trials. For cocaine-trained rats, the RI60 schedule led to greater punishment resistance (i.e., more trials completed) than the RR20 schedule in males and females. For food-trained rats, the RI60 schedule led to greater punishment resistance (i.e., higher reward rates) than the RR20 schedule in female rats, although male rats showed punishment resistance on both RR20 and RI60 schedules. For both cocaine and food, we found that seeking responses were suppressed to a greater degree than reward rate with the RI60 schedule, whereas response rate and reward rate were equally suppressed with the RR20 schedule. This dissociation between punishment effects on reward rate and response rate with the RI60 schedule can be explained by the nonlinear relation between these variables on RI schedules, but it does not account for the enhanced resistance to punishment. Overall, the results show greater punishment resistance with the RI60 schedule as compared to the RR20 schedule, indicating that schedules of reinforcement are an influencing factor on resistance to negative consequences.

Preschoolers' in-group bias promotes altruistic sharing and reduces second-party punishment: The role of theory of mind.

This study examines how in-group bias affects altruistic sharing and second-party punishment in preschoolers and the role of theory of mind (ToM) in in-group bias. Preschoolers aged 4 to 7 years (N = 309; 160 girls) were asked to share resources with an in-group member and an out-group member (Dictator Game) and to reject or accept an unequal allocation proposed by an in-group member and an out-group member (Ultimatum Game). The results showed that preschoolers shared more resources with, and tolerated more unfair behaviors from, in-group members. ToM influenced the in-group bias in both altruistic sharing and second-party punishment. Notably, children's degree of in-group favoritism in altruistic sharing was positively related to the second-party punishment children imposed on out-group members. However, this pattern was found only among children who had acquired first-order ToM. This study reveals the developmental patterns of preschoolers' in-group bias in altruistic sharing and second-party punishment and the effects of ToM on in-group bias.

Understanding sex differences and the translational value of models of persistent substance use despite negative consequences.

Persistent substance use despite negative consequences is a key facet of substance use disorder. The last decade has seen the preclinical field adopt the use of punishment to model adverse consequences associated with substance use. This has largely involved the pairing of drug use with either electric foot shock or quinine, a bitter tastant. Whilst at face value, these punishers may model aspects of the physical and psychological consequences of substance use, such models are yet to assist the development of approved medications for treatment. This review discusses progress made with animal models of punishment to understand the behavioral consequences of persistent substance use despite negative consequences. We highlight the importance of examining sex differences, especially when the behavioral response to punishment changes following drug exposure. Finally, we critique the translational value these models provide for the substance use disorder field.

The impact of reward and punishment sensitivity on memory and executive performance in individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is defined by memory impairment but executive function (EF) deficits could be also a common feature. This study examined the underlying neurocognitive processes associated with executive function (EF) deficits in patients with aMCI using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and computational modeling. Forty-two patients with aMCI and thirty-eight matched Controls performed the WSCT and underwent neurocognitive assessment. The Attentional Learning Model was applied the WCST. Patients with aMCI demonstrated deficits in feedback-learning. More specifically, patients showed increased Reward-Sensitivity and reduced Punishment-Sensitivity. These alterations were associated with poor WSCT performance and deficits in EF and Memory. Goal-directed deficits in aMCI, as observed in the WCST, are associated with difficulties in updating attention after feedback as its changes too rapidly following positive feedback and too slowly following negative feedback. Consequently, memory and EF deficits interact and reinforce each other generating performance deficits in patients with aMCI.

Effects of psilocybin on uncertain punishment learning.

Psilocybin may provide a useful treatment for mood disorders including anxiety and depression but its mechanisms of action for these effects are not well understood. While recent preclinical work has begun to assess psilocybin's role in affective behaviors through innate anxiety or fear conditioning, there is scant evidence for its role in conflict between reward and punishment. The current study was designed to determine the impact of psilocybin on the learning of reward-punishment conflict associations, as well as its effects after learning, in male and female rats. We utilized a chained schedule of reinforcement that involved execution of safe and risky reward-guided actions under uncertain punishment. Different patterns of behavioral suppression by psilocybin emerged during learning versus after learning of risky action-reward associations. Psilocybin increased behavioral suppression in female rats as punishment associations were learned. After learning, psilocybin decreased behavioral suppression in both sexes. Thus, psilocybin produces divergent effects on action suppression during approach-avoidance conflict depending on when the conflict is experienced. This observation may have implications for its therapeutic mechanism of action.

Regulatory mechanism of vulnerability disclosure behavior considering security crowd-testing: An evolutionary game analysis.

The security crowd-testing regulatory mechanism is a vital means to promote collaborative vulnerability disclosure. However, existing regulatory mechanisms have not considered multi-agent responsibility boundaries and stakeholders' conflicts of interest, leading to their dysfunction. Distinguishing from previous research on the motivations and constraints of ethical hacks' vulnerability disclosure behaviors from a legal perspective, this paper constructs an evolutionary game model of SRCs, security researchers, and the government from a managerial perspective to propose regulatory mechanisms promoting tripartite collaborative vulnerability disclosure. The results show that the higher the initial willingness of the three parties to choose the collaborative strategy, the faster the system evolves into a stable state. Regarding the government's incentive mechanism, establishing reward and punishment mechanisms based on effective thresholds is essential. However, it is worth noting that the government has an incentive to adopt such mechanisms only if it receives sufficient regulatory benefits. To further facilitate collaborative disclosure, Security Response Centers (SRC) should establish incentive mechanisms including punishment and trust mechanisms. Additionally, publicity and training mechanisms for security researchers should be introduced to reduce their revenue from illegal participation, which promotes the healthy development of security crowd-testing. These findings contribute to improving SRCs' service quality, guiding security researchers' legal participation, enhancing the government's regulatory effectiveness, and ultimately establishing a multi-party collaborative vulnerability disclosure system.

The paradigm of tax-reward and tax-punishment strategies in the advancement of public resource management dynamics.

In contemporary society, the effective utilization of public resources remains a subject of significant concern. A common issue arises from defectors seeking to obtain an excessive share of these resources for personal gain, potentially leading to resource depletion. To mitigate this tragedy and ensure sustainable development of resources, implementing mechanisms to either reward those who adhere to distribution rules or penalize those who do not, appears advantageous. We introduce two models: a tax-reward model and a tax-punishment model, to address this issue. Our analysis reveals that in the tax-reward model, the evolutionary trajectory of the system is influenced not only by the tax revenue collected but also by the natural growth rate of the resources. Conversely, the tax-punishment model exhibits distinct characteristics when compared with the tax-reward model, notably the potential for bistability. In such scenarios, the selection of initial conditions is critical, as it can determine the system's path. Furthermore, our study identifies instances where the system lacks stable points, exemplified by a limit cycle phenomenon, underscoring the complexity and dynamism inherent in managing public resources using these models.

Examining differential effects of an equity-focused schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports approach on teachers' equity in school discipline.

Following a randomized controlled trial that showed effectiveness of an equity-centered positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) professional development intervention on student discipline in elementary schools, we studied the extent to which the intervention had differential effects on individual teachers' use of exclusionary discipline. Using the sample of teachers from the randomized controlled trial (n = 348), we assessed whether (a) changes in teacher use of office discipline referrals over the course of 2 school years and (b) intervention acceptability were moderated by teacher demographic characteristics (e.g., race/ethnicity, experience) or teacher attitudes (e.g., awareness of biases and commitment to equity). Results from multilevel models using two discipline outcomes (i.e., office discipline referrals issued to Black students and equity in office discipline referrals) did not show significant moderation effects for any demographic or attitude variables. Results of intervention acceptability found that teachers with pre-existing commitments to bias reduction found the intervention more acceptable, although means were consistently high across the sample. Findings indicate that the intervention was similarly effective on teacher discipline practices, regardless of teacher demographics or pre-existing attitudes, lending more support to the intervention's promise.

Parvalbumin-expressing basal forebrain neurons mediate learning from negative experience.

Parvalbumin (PV)-expressing GABAergic neurons of the basal forebrain (BFPVNs) were proposed to serve as a rapid and transient arousal system, yet their exact role in awake behaviors remains unclear. We performed bulk calcium measurements and electrophysiology with optogenetic tagging from the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca (HDB) while male mice were performing an associative learning task. BFPVNs responded with a distinctive, phasic activation to punishment, but showed slower and delayed responses to reward and outcome-predicting stimuli. Optogenetic inhibition during punishment impaired the formation of cue-outcome associations, suggesting a causal role of BFPVNs in associative learning. BFPVNs received strong inputs from the hypothalamus, the septal complex and the median raphe region, while they synapsed on diverse cell types in key limbic structures, where they broadcasted information about aversive stimuli. We propose that the arousing effect of BFPVNs is recruited by aversive stimuli to serve crucial associative learning functions.

The multiple faces of footshock punishment in animal research on addiction.

Continued drug use despite negative consequences is a hallmark of addiction commonly modelled in rodents using punished drug intake. Over the years, addiction research highlighted two subpopulations of punishment sensitive and resistant animals. While helpful to interrogate the neurobiology of drug-related behaviors, these procedures carry some weaknesses that need to be recognized and eventually defused. Mainly focusing on footshock-related work, we will first discuss the criteria used to define punishment-resistant animals and how their relative arbitrariness may impact our findings. With the overarching goal of improving our interpretation of the punishment-resistant phenotype, we will evaluate how tailored punishment protocols may better apprehend resistance to punishment, and how testing the robustness of punishment resistance could yield new results and strengthen interpretations. Second, we will question whether and to what extent punishment sensitivity, as currently defined, is reflective of abstinence and suggest that punishment resistance is, in fact, a prerequisite to model abstinence from addiction. Again, we will examine how challenging the robustness of the punishment-sensitive phenotype may help to better characterize it. Finally, we will evaluate whether diminished relapse-like behavior after repeated punishment-induced abstinence could not only contribute to better understand the mechanisms of abstinence, but also uniquely model progressive recovery (i.e., after repeated failed attempts at recovery) which is the norm in people with addiction. Altogether, by questioning the strengths and weaknesses of our models, we would like to open discussions on the different ways we interpret punishment sensitivity and resistance and the aspects that remain to be explored.

The time sensitive and dose-responsive association between parental corporal punishment and sleep disturbances in preschoolers: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: To examine whether parental corporal punishment is associated with increased risk of concurrent and later sleep disturbances among preschoolers, and whether the association is time-sensitive or dose-responsive. METHODS: This 3-year prospective cohort study used data from the Shanghai Children's Health, Education and Lifestyle Evaluation, Preschool(SCHEDULE-P). Participants were newly enrolled preschoolers in November 2016(wave 1) and followed up in April 2018(wave 2) and April 2019(wave 3). Parents reported the children's corporal punishment experiences and sleep disturbances at each wave survey. Children's risk of sleep disturbances in relation to corporal punishment was examined using logistic regression, adjusting for children's age, gender, emotional/behavioral problems, family annual income, and maternal educational level. RESULTS: The participants of 19,668 children included 9436(47.98 %) females, with a mean age of 3.73(SD = 0.29) years at wave 1. Exposure to corporal punishment was associated with increased odds of concurrent sleep disturbances at wave 1, 2, and 3 (aOR,1.57; 95 % CI, 1.40-1.75; P < .001; aOR,1.60; 95 % CI, 1.43-1.80; P < .001; aOR,1.74; 95 % CI, 1.54-1.95; P < .001), respectively. Exposure to corporal punishment at any wave of preschool was associated with increased odds of sleep disturbances at wave 3, and the risks were greater for proximal and accumulative corporal punishment exposure. CONCLUSION: There is a time-sensitive and dose-responsive association between corporal punishment and sleep disturbance among preschoolers, with greater risk of sleep disturbances for proximal and accumulative exposure of corporal punishment. Promoting positive parenting strategies and avoiding corporal punishment can be a promising strategy to prevent and intervene sleep disturbances in preschoolers.

Punishment-induced resurgence.

The phenomenon of extinction-induced resurgence is well established, but there is comparatively little experimental evidence for punishment-induced resurgence. Punishment-induced resurgence can by tested by contingent shocks following the alternative response. The purpose of Experiment 1 was to test whether low-intensity shocks, that do not decrease rate of reinforcement, result in resurgence. Four rats served as subjects. Rats were exposed to three sequential conditions: (a) variable-interval (VI) 30-s food delivery for a lever press (target response); (b) VI 30-s food delivery for a nose poke (alternative response) and extinction of the lever press; (c) VI 30-s reinforcement for a nose poke with superimposed VI 60-s shock delivery. In the final condition, shocks increased gradually from 0.1 to 0.5 mA. Experiment 2 evaluated whether an abrupt introduction of a high-intensity shock would result in resurgence. Three rats served as subjects and were exposed to three sequential conditions: (a) VI 30-s food delivery for a lever press; (b) VI 30-s food delivery for a nose poke and extinction of the lever press; (c) continued VI 30-s reinforcement for a nose poke with superimposed VI 60-s 0.6 mA shock delivery. Resurgence was observed in all subjects, including in situations in which rate of responding, but not rate of reinforcement, decreased. The present study provides additional evidence for punishment-induced resurgence, but future studies are warranted to determine the extent to which punishment can produce resurgence with or without decreases in rates of reinforcement.

Test-retest reliability of the play-or-pass version of the Iowa Gambling Task.

The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is used to assess decision-making in clinical populations. The original IGT does not disambiguate reward and punishment learning; however, an adaptation of the task, the "play-or-pass" IGT, was developed to better distinguish between reward and punishment learning. We evaluated the test-retest reliability of measures of reward and punishment learning from the play-or-pass IGT and examined associations with self-reported measures of reward/punishment sensitivity and internalizing symptoms. Participants completed the task across two sessions, and we calculated mean-level differences and rank-order stability of behavioral measures across the two sessions using traditional scoring, involving session-wide choice proportions, and computational modeling, involving estimates of different aspects of trial-level learning. Measures using both approaches were reliable; however, computational modeling provided more insights regarding between-session changes in performance, and how performance related to self-reported measures of reward/punishment sensitivity and internalizing symptoms. Our results show promise in using the play-or-pass IGT to assess decision-making; however, further work is still necessary to validate the play-or-pass IGT.

Distorted Burden Shifting and Barred Mitigation: Being a Stubborn 234 Years Old Ironically Hasn't Helped the Supreme Court Mature.

This Note explores the intricate relationship between emerging adulthood, defined as the transitional phase between youth and adulthood (ages 18-25), and the legal implications of capital punishment. Contrary to a fixed age determining adulthood, research highlights the prolonged nature of the maturation process, especially for individuals impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The Note challenges the current legal framework that deems individuals aged 18 to 25 who experienced ACEs as eligible for capital punishment, highlighting the cognitive impact of ACEs on developmental trajectories. Examining cases like Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Billy Joe Wardlow, this Note argues that courts often bypass mitigating evidence related to ACEs, thereby perpetuating judicial errors. The mismatched burdens of proof for aggravating and mitigating factors further compound the problem, contributing to a flawed system that disproportionately affects emerging adults. In response to these issues, some states are reevaluating their approach to emerging adult justice, considering initiatives such as "raise the age" campaigns and specialized courts. The Note promotes an approach that aligns with cognitive age appropriateness, tailoring interventions to encompass restorative justice, rehabilitative measures, and a comprehensive legal framework to address the distinct needs of the emerging adult population. Recognizing the potential for cognitive development and rehabilitation during this transitional phase, this Note contends that alternative methods can provide opportunities for ACE-impacted individuals to age out of criminal behaviors, potentially altering life trajectories and mitigating the imposition of capital punishment.