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Human economic choice as costly information processing

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  • Dickhaut, John
  • Smith, Vernon
  • Xin, Baohua
  • Rustichini, Aldo

Abstract

We develop and test a model that provides a unified account of the neural processes underlying behavior in a classical economic choice task. The model describes in a stylized way brain processes engaged in evaluating information provided by the experimental stimuli, and produces a consistent account of several important features of the decision process in different environments: e.g., when the probability is specified or not (ambiguous choices). These features include the choices made, the time to decide, the error rate in choice, and the patterns of neural activation.

Suggested Citation

  • Dickhaut, John & Smith, Vernon & Xin, Baohua & Rustichini, Aldo, 2013. "Human economic choice as costly information processing," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 206-221.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:94:y:2013:i:c:p:206-221
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2013.08.001
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    Cited by:

    1. Fadong Chen & Urs Fischbacher, 2020. "Cognitive processes underlying distributional preferences: a response time study," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 23(2), pages 421-446, June.
    2. Fadong Chen & Urs Fischbacher, 2015. "Cognitive Processes of Distributional Preferences: A Response Time Study," TWI Research Paper Series 101, Thurgauer Wirtschaftsinstitut, Universität Konstanz.
    3. Jan Hausfeld & Sven Resnjanskij, 2017. "Risky Decisions and the Opportunity Costs of Time," TWI Research Paper Series 108, Thurgauer Wirtschaftsinstitut, Universität Konstanz.
    4. Xin, Baohua, 2022. "From Lab Experiments to the Field: The Case of a Price Formation Model Based on Laboratory Findings," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    5. Irenaeus Wolff & Dominik Bauer, 2018. "Elusive Beliefs: Why Uncertainty Leads to Stochastic Choice and Errors," TWI Research Paper Series 111, Thurgauer Wirtschaftsinstitut, Universität Konstanz.
    6. Landry, Peter, 2021. "A behavioral economic theory of cue-induced attention- and task-switching with implications for neurodiversity," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    7. Nisheeth Srivastava & Paul Schrater, 2015. "Learning What to Want: Context-Sensitive Preference Learning," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(10), pages 1-21, October.

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