Abstract
Intertemporal decision-making refers to the process whereby an individual evaluates and selects among competing alternatives based on the cost and benefit over time. While most previous studies on temporal discounting focused their attention on the gain context, only a few explored the loss context. In the present study, both the event-related potentials (ERPs) and the graph theory analysis were employed to investigate the differences in intertemporal decision-making between the gain and loss frameworks. Our results suggested that participants preferred the short latency/small amount (SS) alternatives and exhibited a smaller discount rate in a loss context compared to a gain framework. Furthermore, our ERP data indicated that the P200 component could constitute a preliminary assessment of the decision-making, related to gain and loss. In contrast, the N2 component was associated with negative emotions and showed significantly bigger amplitudes in the loss context, when compared to the gain framework. Further analyses of brain networks suggested the loss decision-making brain network to have a larger small-worldness index given individuals' loss aversion. Taken together, intertemploral decision-making in a loss context was accompanied by a greater brain response due to the negative emotions linked to loss aversion.
Highlights
In everyday life, people make trade-off decisions according to varying time constraints and circumstances
To compare the amplitude difference in the P200 component between the gain and loss conditions, the result valence was considered as an independent variable, while the average of the three electrode amplitudes was determined as the dependent variable
With regards to the alpha band, the frontal lobe area presented stronger cortical connections in the loss context, whereas the gain context evoked stronger cortical connection in the right central and frontal-central areas. Both the brain electrophysiological activities and the discrepancy of brain network properties underlying intertemporal decision-making were investigated under the gain and loss framework using event-related potentials (ERPs) and graph theory analysis
Summary
People make trade-off decisions according to varying time constraints and circumstances. We hypothesize that the frontal N2 component will show a greater amplitude in a loss context Another important component is the P300, which is widely discussed in the decision-making field and was considered to be associated with attention, evaluation, memory processes, processing capacity and mental workload (e.g., Ford et al, 1982; Polich, 2007). Considering that less educated subjects were often characterized by lower cognitive abilities, the higher small-worldness observed may suggest a need for the optimization of their neuronal organization to perform well in demanding cognitive tasks. We hypothesize that, compared to a gain framework, the brain network will show a stronger small-worldness index in a loss context. Cortical connections will appear in different brain areas and show different intensity
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