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decision making

·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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·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.

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·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.

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·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.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 7, 2024·5 min read

Brain Struggles with Conflicting Information in Schizophrenia

Researchers have developed a potential diagnostic tool for schizophrenia by observing how patients process conflicting information. By analyzing neural activity between the cortex and thalamus, they found distinct patterns that make schizophrenia patients more sensitive to uncertainty.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 23, 2024·5 min read

How Social Learning Guides Decisions When Preferences Differ

A new study shows that humans use social information to guide their decisions, even when others’ preferences differ from their own. Researchers found that people treat social cues as helpful but less reliable than their personal experiences, using them as a tool to explore decision options.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 22, 2024·5 min read

How AI is Reshaping Human Thought and Decision-Making

A new study introduces "System 0," a cognitive framework where artificial intelligence (AI) enhances human thinking by processing vast data, complementing our natural intuition (System 1) and analytical thinking (System 2). However, this external thinking system poses risks, such as over-reliance on AI and a potential loss of cognitive autonomy.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 3, 2024·5 min read

How Previous Food Choices Influence Future Decisions

Research shows that when rating food for appeal or calorie content, judgments are influenced by the food choices we’ve made just before. This effect, known as serial dependence, causes people to rate the next food similarly to the previous one, whether it’s more appealing or less.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 27, 2024·5 min read

Unexpected Sounds Boost Dopamine, Leading to Riskier Decisions

A new study shows that unexpected sounds can cause dopamine bursts in the brain, which may lead to riskier decision-making. Researchers found that participants were 4% more likely to choose risky options after hearing a surprising tone. These findings highlight how unrelated sensory events, like sounds, can influence choices, shedding light on the role dopamine plays in decision-making.

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·September 24, 2024·5 min read

Parkinson’s Drug Linked to Impaired Decision-Making

Pramipexole, a Parkinson’s disease (PD) drug, impairs decision-making by hyperactivating the brain’s external globus pallidus (GPe) region. This research uncovers how the medication, while effective for PD symptoms, can lead to risky behaviors like gambling.