Unsigned surprise but not reward magnitude modulates the integration of motor elements during actions

Abstract It seems natural that motor responses unfold smoothly and that we are able to easily concatenate different components of movements to achieve goal-directed actions. Theoretical frameworks suggest that different motor features have to be bound to each other to achieve a coherent action. Yet, the nature of the “glue” (i.e., bindings) between elements constituting a motor sequence and enabling a smooth unfolding of motor acts is not well understood. We examined in how far motor feature bindings are affected by reward magnitude or the effects of an unsigned surprise signal. We show that the consistency of action file binding strength is modulated by unsigned surprise, but not by reward magnitude. On a conceptual and theoretical level, the results provide links between frameworks, which have until now not been brought into connection. In particular, theoretical accounts stating that only the unexpectedness (surprisingness) is essential for action control are connected to meta-control accounts of human action control.