{"id":1446,"slug":"fiorillo-tobler-schultz-2003-uncertainty-sustains-dopamine","title":"Fiorillo, Tobler & Schultz (2003), Science 299 — uncertainty sustains dopamine; the more direct neural correlate of the variable-reinforcement mechanism (still primate electrophysiology)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","status":"current","audiences":["kevin","smb-owner","candid-team"],"topics":["behavioral-economics","variable-reinforcement-uncertainty"],"reference_body":"**Claim:** **Fiorillo, Tobler & Schultz (2003), *Science* 299, 1898-1902** — the more direct \"**uncertainty sustains dopamine**\" finding. Primate electrophysiology, foundational for the mechanism.\n\n**Source:** Fiorillo, Tobler & Schultz (2003), Science.\n\n**Confidence:** Verified.\n\n**Caveat:** **Primate, not human-tool-engagement.** Same caveat as [[schultz-1997-reward-prediction-error-dopamine-primate]].\n\n**Why this matters for Candid:** Pair with the prior Schultz finding when grounding the *neural* side of the variable-reinforcement story. Citable when a client asks \"what does the brain do under uncertainty,\" but anchor any practical design recommendation on Shen-Fishbach-Hsee.","rationale_body":null,"metadata":null,"links":{"outgoing":[{"slug":"schultz-1997-reward-prediction-error-dopamine-primate","title":"Schultz, Dayan & Montague (1997), Science 275 — reward-prediction-error signal: unpredicted rewards drive dopamine bursts; fully predicted ones don't; primate electrophysiology","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"}],"incoming":[{"slug":"research-brief-engagement-mechanisms-top-up-smb-june-2026","title":"Research notes (capture-layer top-up): why interactive online tools are psychologically engaging — six additional mechanisms (June 2026)","kind":"research-notes","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}]},"created_at":"2026-06-20T19:24:16.007Z","updated_at":"2026-06-20T19:24:16.007Z"}