Humans automatically detect and remember regularities in the visual environment—a type of learning termed visual statistical learning (VSL). Many aspects of learning from reward resemble VSL in certain respects, yet whether and how reward learning impacts VSL is largely unexamined. In two studies, we found that reward contingencies affect VSL, with high-value associated with stronger behavioral and neural signatures of such learning than low-value images. In Experiment 1, participants learned values (high or low) of images through a trial-and-error risky choice task. Unbeknownst to them, images were paired as four types—High-High, High-Low, Low-High, and Low-Low. In subsequent recognition and reward memory tests, participants chose the more familiar of two pairs (a target and a foil) and recalled the value of images. We found better recognition when the first images of pairs have high-values, with High-High pairs showing the highest recognition rate. In Experiment 2, we provided evidence that both value and statistical contingencies affected brain responses. When we compared responses between the high-value first image and the low-value first image, greater activation in regions that included inferior frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, among other regions, were found. These findings were driven by the interaction between statistically structured information and reward—the same value contrast yielded no regions for second-image contrasts and for singletons. Our results suggest that when reward information is embedded in stimulus-stimulus associations, it may alter the learning process; specifically, the higher-value first image potentially enables better memory for statistically learned pairs and reward information.

人类会自动检测并记住视觉环境中的规律——一种称为视觉统计学习 (VSL) 的学习类型。从奖励中学习的许多方面在某些方面类似于 VSL，但奖励学习是否以及如何影响 VSL 在很大程度上尚未得到检验。在两项研究中，我们发现奖励意外事件会影响 VSL，与低价值图像相比，高价值与这种学习的更强行为和神经特征相关。在实验 1 中，参与者通过反复试验的风险选择任务学习图像的值（高或低）。他们不知道的是，图像被配对为四种类型——高-高、高-低、低-高和低-低。在随后的识别和奖励记忆测试中，参与者选择了更熟悉的两对（一个目标和一个箔）并回忆了图像的价值。当对的第一张图像具有高值时，我们发现识别效果更好，其中 High-High 对显示出最高的识别率。在实验 2 中，我们提供了证据表明价值和统计意外事件都会影响大脑反应。当我们比较高值第一图像和低值第一图像之间的响应时，发现包括额下回、前扣带回、海马等区域的激活更大。这些发现是由统计结构化信息和奖励之间的相互作用驱动的——相同的值对比没有产生第二幅图像对比和单身人士的区域。我们的结果表明，当奖励信息嵌入刺激-刺激关联中时，它可能会改变学习过程；具体来说，