Predictive brain signals best predict upcoming and not previous choices.

John-Dylan Haynes,Chun S Soon,Carsten Allefeld,Jakob Heinzle,Carsten Bogler

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00406

Abstract

Predictive brain signals best predict upcoming and not previous choices.

Highlights

Edited by: Björn Brembs, University of Regensburg, Germany Reviewed by: Scott A
In a series of three human neuroimaging studies we recently identified prefrontal and parietal brain signals that predict a person’s upcoming “free” choice up to several seconds before a person believes to be making up their mind (Soon et al, 2008, 2013; Bode et al, 2011)
These findings were based on a combination of functional magnetic resonance imaging with multivariate pattern classification (e.g., Haynes and Rees, 2006) and extended similar previous work using electroencephalography measures where choice-predictive signals were found, albeit across shorter time scales (e.g., Libet et al, 1983; Haggard and Eimer, 1999)

Summary

Introduction

Edited by: Björn Brembs, University of Regensburg, Germany Reviewed by: Scott A. In a series of three human neuroimaging studies we recently identified prefrontal and parietal brain signals that predict a person’s upcoming “free” choice up to several seconds before a person believes to be making up their mind (Soon et al, 2008, 2013; Bode et al, 2011). One of the questions we already originally addressed was whether our choice-predictive signals might reflect a spill-over from the previous trial, rather than being related to a process involved in shaping the upcoming choice.

Results

Conclusion