scholarly journals Evidence for entropy maximisation in human free choice behaviour

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Rens ◽  
Philipp Schwartenbeck ◽  
Ross Cunnington ◽  
Giovanni Pezzulo
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Free Will ◽  
Free Choice ◽  
Active Inference ◽  
Freedom Of Choice ◽  
Inference Model ◽  
Choice Behaviour ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Utilitarian Value ◽  
Entropy Maximisation

The freedom to choose between options is strongly linked to notions of free will. Accordingly, several studies have shown that individuals demonstrate a preference for choice, or the availability of multiple options, over and above utilitarian value. Yet we lack a decision-making framework that integrates preference for choice with traditional utility maximisation in free choice behaviour. Here we test the predictions of an active inference model of decision-making in which an agent actively seeks states yielding entropy (availability of options) in addition to utility (economic reward). We designed a study in which participants freely navigated a virtual environment consisting of two consecutive choices leading to reward locations in separate rooms. Critically, the choice of one room always led to two final doors while, in the second room, only one door was permissible to choose. This design allowed us to separately determine the influence of utility and entropy on participants' choice behaviour and their self-evaluation of free will. We found that choice behaviour was better predicted by an inference-based model than by expected utility alone, and that both the availability of options and the value of the context positively influenced participants' perceived freedom of choice. Moreover, this consideration of options was apparent in the ongoing motion dynamics as individuals navigated the environment. These results show that free choice behaviour is well explained by an inference-based framework in which both utility and entropy are optimised.

scholarly journals Regimes of Expectations: An Active Inference Model of Social Conformity and Human Decision Making

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Axel Constant ◽  
Maxwell J. D. Ramstead ◽  
Samuel P. L. Veissière ◽  
Karl Friston
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Active Inference ◽  
Social Conformity ◽  
Inference Model ◽  
Human Decision

scholarly journals Free Will with Afterthoughts: A Quasichemical Model

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea C. Levi
Keyword(s):  
Probability Distribution ◽  
Free Will ◽  
Chemical Reactions ◽  
Free Choice ◽  
Freedom Of Choice ◽  
Quasichemical Model ◽  
Conditioning Factors ◽  
Crossing Point

A model of free will is proposed, appealing to the similarity with simple, two-body chemical reactions where the energy curves for the reagents and for the products cross. The system at the crossing point has a freedom of choice to perform the reaction or not. The Landau-Zener formula, corresponding to the opportunity of meeting twice the crossing point, is interpreted as free will with an afterthought and generalized to the cases when a subject thinks about a choice n times. If the probability distribution pn of afterthoughts is known, the probability of a final yes decision is given. The results are generalized to situations where a preference for or against a change exists or where the freedom is only partial, has to fight with conditioning factors, and possibly decreases with increasing instances of free choice.

Mind and soul? Two notions in the light of contemporary philosophy

2021 ◽  
pp. 0957154X2110100
Author(s):  
Enrico Berti
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Free Will ◽  
Moral Decision ◽  
Contemporary Philosophy ◽  
Moral Decision Making ◽  
History Of

From the perspective of the Aristotelian notion of ‘Form’, the author explores the history of the concepts of mind and soul focusing on their ontologized version, as entertained by conventional science. He concludes that current neuroscience lacks the conceptual wherewithal required to deal with the meaning of mind and soul and with agential consequences such as free will and moral decision making. [GEB]

scholarly journals THU0647-HPR SHARED DECISION MAKING AMONGST RHEUMATOLOGISTS IN TRAINING IN THE NETHERLANDS: WHERE DO WE STAND?

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 568.2-568
Author(s):  
L. Kranenburg ◽  
M. Dankbaar ◽  
N. Basoski ◽  
W. Van den Broek ◽  
J. Hazes
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Shared Decision Making ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Shared Decision ◽  
Professional Activities ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
The Subject

Background:The training curriculum for rheumatologists in training in the Netherlands describes competences and entrusted professional activities (EPA) to monitor the progress in learning. However, this training program does not discuss training of Shared Decision Making. As the basis for shared care and patient participation is made during these years, the question arises how rheumatologist in training think about Shared Decision Making and how they use this in daily practice.Objectives:Inventory of vision, experience and self-evaluation of skills related to Shared Decision Making amongst rheumatologists in training in the Netherlands in order to identify barriers in the implementation of Shared Decision Making in daily practice.Methods:Qualitative data was collected from on online survey amongst rheumatologists in training who were registered in January 2018 by the Dutch Society of Rheumatology.Results:Forty-two rheumatologists in training from various years of training responded (60%). Respondents think that Shared Decision Making is important. A third applies Shared Decision Making on a regular basis in daily practice. Self rating of skills for Shared Decision Making varies from sufficient to good. However, respondents are uncertain about their performance due to a lack of feedback and unclearness of the concept. They indicate that Shared Decision Making is not possible for all patients and find it difficult to assess whether the patient has a clear understanding of the options. Patient’s preferences are discussed only by 33% of the doctors on a regular basis when starting new treatment.Conclusion:Rheumatologists in training agree on the importance of Shared Decision Making, but are uncertain about their performance. Unclearness of the concept is described as a known barrier in literature1,2and is frequently mentioned by respondents. Rheumatologist in training indicate that not all patients are fit for Shared Decision Making. Regarding the limited training on the subject this could also be a misjudgment of patients preferences and lack of experience how to deal with different patient types. There is a clear plea for more training and feedback on the subject. Training should be integrated in the curriculum focusing on how to assess patients preferences and how to apply Shared Decision Making also for patients who indicate to leave decisions up to their doctor.References:[1]van Veenendaal, H.et al.Accelerating implementation of shared decision-making in the Netherlands: An exploratory investigation.Patient Educ Couns101, 2097-2104 (2018).[2]Legare, F., Ratte, S., Gravel, K. & Graham, I. D. Barriers and facilitators to implementing shared decision-making in clinical practice: update of a systematic review of health professionals’ perceptions.Patient Educ Couns73, 526-535 (2008).Disclosure of Interests:Laura Kranenburg Grant/research support from: Pfizer and UCB for the development of the Reuma App, a tool to support selfmanagement for patients. This is not used for the research related to the submitted abstract., Mary Dankbaar: None declared, Natalja Basoski: None declared, Walter Van den Broek: None declared, Johanna Hazes: None declared

scholarly journals Consciousness, decision making, and volition: freedom beyond chance and necessity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Liljenström
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Free Will ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Complex Process ◽  
Neural Information ◽  
Neural Information Processing ◽  
Stochastic Population Model ◽  
The Brain

AbstractWhat is the role of consciousness in volition and decision-making? Are our actions fully determined by brain activity preceding our decisions to act, or can consciousness instead affect the brain activity leading to action? This has been much debated in philosophy, but also in science since the famous experiments by Libet in the 1980s, where the current most common interpretation is that conscious free will is an illusion. It seems that the brain knows, up to several seconds in advance what “you” decide to do. These studies have, however, been criticized, and alternative interpretations of the experiments can be given, some of which are discussed in this paper. In an attempt to elucidate the processes involved in decision-making (DM), as an essential part of volition, we have developed a computational model of relevant brain structures and their neurodynamics. While DM is a complex process, we have particularly focused on the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) for its emotional, and the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) for its cognitive aspects. In this paper, we present a stochastic population model representing the neural information processing of DM. Simulation results seem to confirm the notion that if decisions have to be made fast, emotional processes and aspects dominate, while rational processes are more time consuming and may result in a delayed decision. Finally, some limitations of current science and computational modeling will be discussed, hinting at a future development of science, where consciousness and free will may add to chance and necessity as explanation for what happens in the world.

scholarly journals Outcome contingency selectively affects the neural coding of outcomes but not of tasks

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Wisniewski ◽  
Birte Forstmann ◽  
Marcel Brass
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Parietal Cortex ◽  
Neural Coding ◽  
Free Choice ◽  
Pattern Analysis ◽  
Maintenance Phase ◽  
Large Network ◽  
Multivariate Pattern Analysis ◽  
Multivariate Pattern

AbstractValue-based decision-making is ubiquitous in every-day life, and critically depends on the contingency between choices and their outcomes. Only if outcomes are contingent on our choices can we make meaningful value-based decisions. Here, we investigate the effect of outcome contingency on the neural coding of rewards and tasks. Participants performed a reversal-learning paradigm in which reward outcomes were contingent on trial-by-trial choices, and performed a ‘free choice’ paradigm in which rewards were random and not contingent on choices. We hypothesized that contingent outcomes enhance the neural coding of rewards and tasks, which was tested using multivariate pattern analysis of fMRI data. Reward outcomes were encoded in a large network including the striatum, dmPFC and parietal cortex, and these representations were indeed amplified for contingent rewards. Tasks were encoded in the dmPFC at the time of decision-making, and in parietal cortex in a subsequent maintenance phase. We found no evidence for contingency-dependent modulations of task signals, demonstrating highly similar coding across contingency conditions. Our findings suggest selective effects of contingency on reward coding only, and further highlight the role of dmPFC and parietal cortex in value-based decision-making, as these were the only regions strongly involved in both reward and task coding.

scholarly journals Dialogue on Alternating Consciousness: From Perception to Infinities and Back to Free Will

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claus Janew
Keyword(s):  
Free Will ◽  
Basic Structure ◽  
Freedom Of Choice ◽  
Trace Back ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Universe

Can we trace back consciousness, reality, awareness, and free will to a single basic structure without giving up any of them? Can the universe exist in both real and individual ways without being composed of both? This dialogue founds consciousness and freedom of choice on the basis of a new reality concept that also includes the infinite as far as we understand it. Just the simplest distinction contains consciousness. It is not static, but a constant alternation of perspectives. From its entirety and movement, however, there arises a freedom of choice being more than reinterpreted necessity and unpredictability. Although decisions ultimately involve the whole universe, they are free in varying degrees also here and now. The unity and openness of the infinite enables the individual to be creative while this creativity directly and indirectly enters into all other individuals without impeding them. A contrary impression originates only in a narrowed awareness. But even the most conscious and free awareness can neither anticipate all decisions nor extinguish individuality. Their creativity is secured.

scholarly journals Multi-route choice modelling in a metropolitan context: A comparative analysis using Multinomial Logit and Fuzzy Logic based approaches

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (ET.2020) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Sowjanya Dhulipala
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Fuzzy Logic ◽  
Choice Model ◽  
Route Choice ◽  
Fuzzy Rule ◽  
Multinomial Logit ◽  
Choice Modelling ◽  
Choice Behaviour ◽  
Linguistic Rules ◽  
Mnl Model

Route choice plays a vital role in the traffic assignment and network building, as it involves decision making on part of riders. The vagueness in travellers’ perceptions of attributes of the available routes between any two locations adds to the complexities in modelling the route choice behaviour. Conventional Logit models fail to address the uncertainty in travellers’ perceptions of route characteristics (especially qualitative attributes, such as environmental effects), which can be better addressed through the theory of fuzzy sets and linguistic variables. This study thus attempts to model travellers’ route choice behaviour, using a fuzzy logic approach that is based on simple and logical ‘if-then’ linguistic rules. This approach takes into consideration the uncertainty in travellers’ perceptions of route characteristics, resembling humans’ decision-making process. Three attributes – travel time, traffic congestion, and road-side environment are adopted as factors driving people’s choice of routes, and three alternative routes between two typical locations in an Indian metropolitan city, Surat, are considered in the study. The approach to deal with multiple routes is shown by analyzing two-wheeler riders’ (e.g. motorcyclists’ and scooter drivers’) route choice behaviour during the peak-traffic time. Further, a Multinomial Logit (MNL) model is estimated, to enable a comparison of the two modelling approaches. The estimated Fuzzy Rule-Based Route Choice Model outperformed the conventional MNL model, accounting for the uncertain behaviour of travellers.

scholarly journals Perceived fatigue does not alter effort-based decision making, but does undermine confidence in the ability to perform physical actions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Greenhouse-Tucknott ◽  
James Graeme Wrightson ◽  
Sam Berens ◽  
Jeanne Dekerle ◽  
Neil Andrew Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Physical Exertion ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Body Part ◽  
The Body ◽  
Knee Extensors ◽  
Monetary Incentives ◽  
Choice Behaviour ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Evaluative Processes

Introduction: Protracted physical exertion leads to the development of fatigue. The development of fatigue has previously been associated with increased effort costs, influencing decisions to engage in further physical activity. However, whether fatigue-associated changes to effort-based decisions are reflective of a global aversion to effort in response to fatiguing physical exertion, affecting the decision to engage in physical action performed in other parts of the body, is unclear. Methods: To investigate this, we tested whether effort-based choice behaviour was altered by fatigue, pre-induced through physical exertion of a different body part. Twenty-two healthy male participants made a series of choices between two rewarded actions, which varied in both the level of effort required (relative duration of a submaximal contraction of the dominant knee extensors) and reward obtained (monetary incentives). Participants made their choice under two conditions: 1) a pre-induced state of fatigue and 2) a rested (control) state. Results: Across conditions, participants’ choice behaviour demonstrated the anticipated aversion to effort that interacted with the level of reward on offer. However, though prior physical exertion increased the perception of fatigue, prolonged choice selection-time and reduced self-reported confidence in ability to perform chosen effort-demanding actions, participants choice behaviour did not significantly differ between the two conditions. Conclusions:. The findings suggest that a subjective state of fatigue does not increase the general cost of exerting effort across the body but does increase uncertainty within decision-making processes which may alter evaluative processes that precede changes in cost/benefit computations.

scholarly journals On Vendler’s freedom of choice

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. e460
Author(s):  
Ana Clara Polakof
Keyword(s):  
Free Choice ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Speech Act Theory ◽  
Alternative Semantics ◽  
Freedom Of Choice ◽  
Proper Understanding ◽  
Existential Import ◽  
The One ◽  
Short Essay

In this short essay, we will provide some contemporary remarks to Vendler (1962 and 1974). We will propose that his characterization of the Free Choice Item any can be properly explained if we take into account an alternative semantics framework. We will assume with Menéndez-Benito (2010) that it is a universal indeterminate pronoun, and with Aloni (2007) that it involves an exhaustification operator to explain its behavior. We will show that, if we take into account this approach, we will be able to explain what Vendler called freedom of choice, lack of existential import, lawlike propositions, among other characteristics. In addition, we will try to do some linguistics in philosophy, and try to explain how a proper understanding of FCI may help to better understand some reference related problems. Finally, we will show that if we take into account a speech act theory, as the one proposed by Searle (1985), we may account for some of the FCI particular behavior with regard to free choice.

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