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decision making

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·March 4, 2025·6 min read

Future Thinking Training Reduces Impulsivity

A new study finds that training people to think about specific future events can reduce impulsivity and improve decision-making. Researchers used fMRI scans to show that practicing episodic future thinking increased connectivity in key brain regions, making participants less likely to choose immediate rewards over long-term benefits.

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·February 26, 2025·3 min read

Brain Activity Can Predict Crowd Behavior

A new study shows that brain activity in small groups can predict large-scale decision-making. Using fMRI, researchers found that activity in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAcc) during initial affective responses consistently aligned with choices made by thousands of online participants.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 20, 2025·7 min read

Brain’s Hidden Circuitry for Risk and Reward Uncovered

Researchers have identified two distinct groups of neurons that help the brain evaluate risk and reward in decision-making. These neurons, located in the ventral striatum, separately process better-than-expected and worse-than-expected outcomes.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 9, 2025·6 min read

How We Make Life’s Toughest Choices

A new study presents a novel framework for understanding transformative life decisions, focusing on their complexity and emotional impact. Researchers identified five key dimensions—conflicting cues, change of self, uncertain experiential value, irreversibility, and risk—that shape these decisions.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 8, 2025·6 min read

How Brains Filter Sensory Noise to Make Better Decisions

A new study reveals how electrical synapses help animals, including worms, filter sensory inputs and make context-appropriate decisions. Researchers found that these synapses, mediated by the protein INX-1, connect specific neurons in worms, dampening irrelevant signals and prioritizing essential ones.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 8, 2025·3 min read

Emotional News Alters Men’s Financial Choices

New research reveals that men are more likely than women to let emotions from unrelated situations affect their financial decisions. After watching emotional news stories, men opted for safer financial choices, while women’s decisions remained unchanged.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 10, 2024·7 min read

How the Brain Deciphers Context to Guide Decisions

Research reveals that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and hippocampus (DH) play distinct roles in resolving ambiguous situations where the meaning of stimuli changes based on context. The OFC helps regulate behavior by using contextual knowledge, while the DH is critical for applying prior knowledge to accelerate learning new relationships.

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Featured Neuroscience

·December 10, 2024·7 min read

Brain’s Quit-or-Wait Dilemma: How We Decide to Persist or Move On

New research sheds light on how the brain's prefrontal cortex evaluates whether to persist or quit in uncertain situations. Using tasks mimicking real-life dilemmas, researchers found that different brain regions influence patience and adaptability.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 9, 2024·5 min read

Older Adults Are Risk-Takers Who Learn and Adapt Quickly

New research challenges stereotypes about older adults, revealing that they are more willing to take risks than younger individuals and are equally adept at resisting manipulation. Using gambling tasks, researchers found that while older adults initially made more mistakes, they quickly improved with practice, achieving decision-making proficiency comparable to younger participants.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 26, 2024·4 min read

How Memories Shape Decisions and Future Well-Being

A new framework integrates psychology and economics to show how memorable experiences influence long-term decision-making. Their model separates the immediate utility of consumption from the lasting "remembered utility" derived from impactful events, such as weddings or career achievements.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 20, 2024·5 min read

Leveling Up: How Gaming Boosts Decision Making and Cooperation

A new study reveals that multiplayer online gaming can enhance workplace skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. Researchers found that gamers with years of experience apply their in-game behaviors to professional settings, developing patience, self-confidence, and coaching abilities.

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·November 14, 2024·4 min read

How Decision-Making Improves with Age

Adolescents are known for making less optimal, noisy decisions, but a recent study reveals that these tendencies decrease with age and are linked to improvements in complex decision-making skills. Researchers found that decision noise, or variability in choices, mediates age-related gains in goal-directed behaviors and adaptability.