In macaque monkeys, D2 receptor blockade is associated with a reduction in inverse temperature during probabilistic learning, which indicates increased exploratory behavior without a change in learning rate, demonstrating that dopamine D2 receptors modulate decision consistency during novel reward acquisition.

Blocking D2 receptors in the brain increases communication between areas that process rewards and make decisions, which makes the animal less predictable in its choices and more likely to try new options, even when it has learned what usually works. This leads to better learning of new reward patterns because the animal explores more instead of sticking to what it already knows.