Through some research papers we explore individual variations in incentive salience attribution, focusing on how cues associated with rewards, particularly drugs and social interactions, influence behaviour. Studies using Pavlovian conditioning in rats reveal distinct behavioural phenotypes: sign-trackers, who attribute high motivational value to cues, and goal-trackers, who focus on the reward itself. The studies investigate the neural mechanisms underlying these differences, exploring the roles of dopamine and other neurochemicals like oxytocin, and consider the implications for understanding and treating addiction. The research also examines how reward uncertainty and multiple reward types affect incentive salience attribution, further enriching our understanding of reward processing and addiction vulnerability.

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