Multiple Systems in Decision Making

Abstract

Neuroeconomics seeks to gain a greater understanding of decision making by combining theoretical and methodological principles from the fields of psychology, economics, and neuroscience. Initial studies using this multidisciplinary approach have found evidence suggesting that the brain may be employing multiple levels of processing when making decisions, and this notion is consistent with dual-processing theories that have received extensive theoretical consideration in the field of cognitive psychology, with these theories arguing for the dissociation between automatic and controlled components of processing. While behavioral studies provide compelling support for the distinction between automatic and controlled processing in judgment and decision making, less is known if these components have a corresponding neural substrate, with some researchers arguing that there is no evidence suggesting a distinct neural basis. This chapter will discuss the behavioral evidence supporting the dissociation between automatic and controlled processing in decision making and review recent literature suggesting potential neural systems that may underlie these processes.