The role of inhibition in the suboptimal choice task.

AbstractPeople are eager to know the self in other’s eyes even with personal costs. However, what drives people costly to know evaluations remains unknown. Here we tested the hypothesis of placing subjective value on knowing social evaluations. To quantify the subjective value, we developed a pay-to-know choice task where individuals trade off profits against knowing social evaluations. Individuals computed independent unknown aversion towards positive and negative social evaluations and placed higher values on knowing social evaluation on positive than negative aspects. Such a valence-dependent valuation of social evaluation was facilitated by oxytocin, a neuropeptide linked to feedback learning and valuation processes, by decreasing values of negative social evaluation. Moreover, individuals scoring high in depression undervalued positive social evaluation, which was normalized by oxytocin. We reveal the psychological and computational processes underlying self-image formation/update and suggest a role of oxytocin in normalizing hypo-valuation of positive social evaluation in depression.

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Examining the Role of Familiarity in the Perception of Depth

Vision ◽

10.3390/vision4020021 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 21

Author(s):

Elizaveta Mischenko ◽

Ippei Negishi ◽

Elena S. Gorbunova ◽

Tadamasa Sawada

Keyword(s):

Depth Perception ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Visual Stimuli ◽

Multiple Choice ◽

Image Features ◽

Choice Task ◽

Cognitive Factors ◽

Familiarity Effect ◽

Depth Order

Bishop Berkeley suggested that the distance of an object can be estimated if the object’s size is familiar to the observer. It has been suggested that humans can perceive the distance of the object by using such “familiarity” information, but most or many of the prior experiments that found an effect of familiarity were not designed to minimize or eliminate potential influences of: higher cognitive factors on the observers’ responses, or the influences of low-level image features in the visual stimuli used. We looked for the familiarity effect in two experiments conducted both in Russia and Japan. The visual stimuli used were images of three coins used in Russia and Japan. The participants’ depth perception was measured with a multiple-choice task testing the perceived depth-order of the coins. Our expectation was that any effect of “familiarity” on depth perception would only be observed with the coins of the participant’s country. We expected a substantial familiarity effect based on our meta-analysis of the “familiarity” effects observed in prior experiments. But, our results in both experiments showed that the familiarity effect was virtually zero. These findings suggest that the importance of a familiarity effect in depth perception should be reconsidered.

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Dopamine manipulations drive changes in information sampling in healthy volunteers

Journal of Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1177/0269881118822080 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 (6) ◽

pp. 670-677

Author(s):

Raquel Vicario-Feliciano ◽

Rebekah L Wigton ◽

Thomas P White ◽

Sukhi S Shergill ◽

Bruno B Averbeck

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Process ◽

Dopamine Release ◽

Receptor Activation ◽

Choice Task ◽

Double Blind ◽

Information Sampling ◽

Dopamine Signaling ◽

Beads Task ◽

Choice Tasks

Background: Information sampling is the cognitive process of accumulating information before committing to a decision. Patients across numerous disorders show decreased information sampling relative to controls. Aims: Here, we used the Beads and the Best Choice Tasks to study the role of dopamine signaling in information sampling. Methods: Participants were given placebo, amisulpride, or ropinirole in each session, in a double-blind cross-over design. Results: We found that ropinirole (agonist) increased the number of beads drawn in the Beads Task specifically when participants faced a loss, and decreased the rank of the chosen option in the Best Choice Task. Conclusions: These effects are likely driven by a combination of effects at presynaptic D2 receptors, which affect dopamine release, and post-synaptic D2 receptors. Increased D2 relative to D1 receptor activation in the striatum leads to increased sampling in the loss condition in the Beads Task. It also leads to choice of a poorer ranked option in the Best Choice Task. Decreased D2 relative to D1 receptor activation leads to decreased sampling in the Beads Task in the loss condition.

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When Temporal Contiguity Matters

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759.24.4.246 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 246-253 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Juliette Richetin ◽

Marco Perugini

Keyword(s):

Predictive Validity ◽

Choice Task ◽

Temporal Contiguity ◽

Implicit Measures ◽

Moderation Effect ◽

Situational Variables ◽

Explicit Measure ◽

Construct Accessibility ◽

Explicit Measures

Whereas several recent studies have examined the role of various personal and situational variables as moderators of the predictive validity of implicit measures, the role played by methodological factors has attracted relatively less attention. A two-session study (N = 104) investigated the influence of temporal contiguity between measurement and criterion on the validities of two implicit measures, the SC-IAT and the IAT, and an explicit measure, for predicting the results of a rapid picture-choice task. Because temporal contiguity between the independent and dependent variables can be framed in terms of accessibility, it was expected to moderate the predictive validities of the implicit but not of the explicit measures. The hypothesis was confirmed: The contiguity moderated the predictive validities of both implicit measures for the rapid picture-choice task. This moderation effect did not occur for explicit measures. Results also demonstrated that the SC-IAT did not show robust predictive validity whereas the IAT had an incremental validity for self-reported behaviors. Results are discussed in terms of the role played by construct accessibility in the predictive validity of implicit measures.

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The role of contingency discriminability in suboptimal choice

Behavioural Processes ◽

10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104511 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 193 ◽

pp. 104511

Author(s):

Gabriela E. López-Tolsa ◽

Vladimir Orduña

Keyword(s):

Suboptimal Choice

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Orbitofrontal cortical activity during repeated free choice

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00690.2010 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 107 (12) ◽

pp. 3246-3255 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Michael Campos ◽

Kari Koppitch ◽

Richard A. Andersen ◽

Shinsuke Shimojo

Keyword(s):

Orbitofrontal Cortex ◽

Choice Behavior ◽

Free Choice ◽

Selection Process ◽

Simultaneous Recording ◽

Choice Task ◽

Internal Factors ◽

Frequent Switching ◽

Individual Choices

Neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) have been shown to encode subjective values, suggesting a role in preference-based decision-making, although the precise relation to choice behavior is unclear. In a repeated two-choice task, subjective values of each choice can account for aggregate choice behavior, which is the overall likelihood of choosing one option over the other. Individual choices, however, are impossible to predict with knowledge of relative subjective values alone. In this study we investigated the role of internal factors in choice behavior with a simple but novel free-choice task and simultaneous recording from individual neurons in nonhuman primate OFC. We found that, first, the observed sequences of choice behavior included periods of exceptionally long runs of each of two available options and periods of frequent switching. Neither a satiety-based mechanism nor a random selection process could explain the observed choice behavior. Second, OFC neurons encode important features of the choice behavior. These features include activity selective for exceptionally long runs of a given choice (stay selectivity) as well as activity selective for switches between choices (switch selectivity). These results suggest that OFC neural activity, in addition to encoding subjective values on a long timescale that is sensitive to satiety, also encodes a signal that fluctuates on a shorter timescale and thereby reflects some of the statistically improbable aspects of free-choice behavior.

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Context-dependent effect of mood: the regulatory role of personality

Polish Psychological Bulletin ◽

10.1515/ppb-2015-0019 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 144-150 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Dominika Zajusz-Gawędzka ◽

Magdalena Marszał-Wiśniewska

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Negative Mood ◽

Positive Mood ◽

Choice Task ◽

Action Orientation ◽

Dependent Effect ◽

Multiattribute Choice ◽

Personality Questionnaires ◽

Context Dependent

Abstract This study explored the influence of the context-dependent effect of mood as well as individual differences in neuroticism and action vs. state/volatility orientation on predecisional processing in a multiattribute choice task. One hundred and twenty participants acquired information about choice options after filling out personality questionnaires. Results showed that participants in a positive mood processed the information longer in enjoy than in done-enough context. In turn, participants in a negative mood processed the information more selectively in enjoy than in done-enough context. It also appeared that this effect is reinforced for participants with low neuroticism and volatility orientation, while it is weakened for those with low neuroticism and action orientation. Results were interpreted in accordance with the differential-processual approach.

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Framing Messages to Deal With the COVID-19 Crisis: The Role of Loss/Gain Frames and Content

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.568212 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Carlos Gantiva ◽

William Jiménez-Leal ◽

Joan Urriago-Rayo

Keyword(s):

Perceived Risk ◽

Message Framing ◽

Self Care ◽

Choice Task ◽

Health Messages ◽

Intention To Adopt ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Media ◽

Gain Frame

The goal of this study was to test the role of message framing for effective communication of self-care behaviors in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, contrasting health and economic-focused messages. We presented 319 participants with an unforced choice task where they had to select the message that they believed was more effective to increase intentions toward self-care behaviors, motivate self-care behaviors in others, increase perceived risk and enhance perceived message strength. Results showed that gain-frame health messages increased intention to adopt self-care behaviors and were judged to be stronger. Loss-framed health messages increased risk perception. When judging effectiveness for others, participants believed other people would be more sensitive to messages with an economic focus. These results can be used by governments to guide communication for the prevention of COVID-19 contagion in the media and social networks, where time and space for communicating information are limited.

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The Influence of Social and Nonsocial Variables on the Simon Effect

Experimental Psychology (formerly Zeitschrift für Experimentelle Psychologie) ◽

10.1027/1618-3169/a000292 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 62 (4) ◽

pp. 215-231 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Davide R. Mussi ◽

Barbara F. M. Marino ◽

Lucia Riggio

Keyword(s):

Simon Effect ◽

Social Factors ◽

Simon Task ◽

Interpersonal Relationship ◽

Social Contexts ◽

Choice Task ◽

Gender Composition ◽

Shared Task ◽

Task Features

Abstract. Recently, the Simon effect (SE) has been observed in social contexts when two individuals share a two-choice task. This joint SE (JSE) has been interpreted as evidence that people co-represent their actions. However, it is still not clear if the JSE is driven by social factors or low-level mechanisms. To address this question, we applied a common paradigm to a joint Simon task (Experiments 1 and 4), a standard Simon task (Experiment 2), and a go/no-go task (Experiment 3). The results showed that both the JSE and the SE were modulated by the repetition/non-repetition of task features. Moreover, the JSE was differently modulated by the gender composition of the two individuals involved in the shared task and by their interpersonal relationship. Taken together, our results do not support a pure social explanation of the JSE, nevertheless, they show the independent role of different social factors in modulating the effect.

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