Delineating implicit and explicit processes in neurofeedback learning. (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Muñoz-Moldes, Santiago; Cleeremans, Axel
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 118(2020)
• Page Start: 681
• Page End: 688
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: neurofeedback -- biofeedback -- learning -- training -- awareness -- discrimination -- consciousness -- self-evaluation -- performance monitoring -- metacognition; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.09.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Highlights: This article discusses the role of awareness in neurofeedback (NF) learning. Most implicit NF tasks include explicit goals. Explicit processes are central in skill acquisition and goal-directed behavior. Measures of awareness are suggested to go beyond verbal exit questionnaires. Considering awareness is vital for understanding the learning mechanism of NF. Abstract: Neurofeedback allows humans to self-regulate neural activity in specific brain regions and is considered a promising tool for psychiatric interventions. Recently, methods have been developed to use neurofeedback implicitly, prompting a theoretical debate on the role of awareness in neurofeedback learning. We offer a critical review of the role of awareness in neurofeedback learning, with a special focus on recently developed neurofeedback paradigms. We detail differences in instructions and propose a fine-grained categorization of tasks based on the degree of involvement of explicit and implicit processes. Finally, we review the methods used to measure awareness in neurofeedback and propose new candidate measures. We conclude that explicit processes cannot be eschewed in most current implicit tasks that have explicit goals, and suggest ways in which awareness could be better measured in the future. Investigating awareness during learning will help understand the learning mechanisms underlying neurofeedback learning and will help shape future tasks.