Financial decision-making tasks and simple perceptual tasks – a comparison
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1
The University of Melbourne, Department of Management and Marketing, Faculty of Business and Economics, Australia
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2
The University of Melbourne, Department of Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics, Australia
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3
The University of Melbourne, Howard Florey Institute, Australia
Introduction:
In this study we compare neural mechanisms underlying behaviour in a temporal discounting task with those underlying behaviour in a simple perceptual task to better understand the neural mechanisms involved in complex economic decision-making. Furthermore, we also investigate how affect modulates this difference. We therefore subliminally presented a goal-relevant image (brand logo of Apple Inc.) to subjects in a subset of the financial decisions. Behavioural evidence shows that goal-relevant images can lead to greater use of affectively determined decision making processes.
Methods:
10 subjects (6 male, mean age 25.2 ±3.29 yrs, all right-handed) attended 2 experimental sessions. Session 1: Subjects were asked to make a series of decisions. In two thirds of the trials subjects completed a temporal discounting task in which they were asked to choose between an immediate monetary reward and a delayed reward of higher value. All choices were preceded by a subliminally presented image: either a goal-relevant image (brand logo of Apple Inc.) or a neutral image matched for visual complexity (cup). Images were presented for 16ms (pre and post masked). In the remaining third of trials subjects completed a perceptual task in which they were shown two crosses (left and right), one red and one white. Subjects were asked to indicate the side of the red cross. Session 2: Whole brain EPI data was acquired using a 3T Siemens scanner [TR= 2secs, TE = 35 ms]. Subjects were presented the same mix of trials as in Session 1 (7sec trial duration, sequence optimized using Optseq, http://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/optseq) and responded via button press. Stimuli in the temporal discounting task were tailored to each subject such that the expected number of choices of immediate and delayed rewards was equal. Imaging data was analyzed using FSL (http://www.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/fsl) using a factorial design incorporating prime type and decision type.
Results and disucssion:
Activity associated with the discounting task has been identified in caudate nucleus, ventromedial prefrontal cortex and medial prefrontal cortex, structures that are becoming well established as being involved in intertemporal choice and decision making and, more specifically, in the valuation of potential and actual rewards (e.g., Kable and Glimcher 2007; McClure et al. 2004; Singer et al. 2009). We also find increased activiation of the frontopolar cortex. This area has been implicated in prospective thinking. Frontopolar patients exhibit impairment in formulating plans for the future and in assessing the future drawbacks of immediate rewards. Following from this, the involvement of FPC in our study may be accounted for by the intrinsically temporal nature of the task. In all discount decisions faced by our subjects, they had to incorporate a possible future outcome and weigh it against an immediate one. (Caudate nucleus activity exhibited a trend toward significance: p < 0.01, uncorrected; the other structures were significant at p < 0.009, uncorrected.)
References
1. Kable, J.W. and Glimcher, P.W. (2007). The neural correlates of subjective value during intertemporal choice. Nature Neuroscience. 10(12): 1625–1633
2. McClure, S.M., Laibson, D.I., Loewenstein, G. and Cohen, J.D. (2004). Separate neural systems value immediate and delayed monetary rewards. Science, 306, 503–507
3. Singer, T., Critchley, H.D. and Preuschoff, K. (2009). A common role of insula in feelings, empathy and uncertainty. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 13(08), 334–340
Conference:
Computations, Decisions and Movement, Giessen, Germany, 19 May - 22 May, 2010.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Posters
Citation:
Harris
P,
Murawski
C,
Dominguez
JF,
Leech
J and
Egan
GF
(2010). Financial decision-making tasks and simple perceptual tasks – a comparison.
Front. Comput. Neurosci.
Conference Abstract:
Computations, Decisions and Movement.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2010.01.00011
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Received:
01 Feb 2010;
Published Online:
01 Feb 2010.
*
Correspondence:
Philip Harris, The University of Melbourne, Department of Management and Marketing, Faculty of Business and Economics, Melbourne, Australia, hap@unimelb.edu.au