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Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: Less risk taking or more reflective? A tDCS study based on a Bayesian-updating task

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  • Huang, Daqiang
  • Li, Yuzhen
  • Li, Jiahui

Abstract

To identify the causal role of the DLPFC in decision making, we used transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to investigate the contribution of DLPFC to performance in an incentivized decision task where optimal decisions require Bayesian updating of beliefs. In this task, an impulsive reinforcement-based heuristic can either conflict or be aligned with Bayesian updating. Previous research showed that in case of conflict individuals rely on the faulty heuristic, hence committing many decision errors. Based on the involvement of the DLPFC in inhibitory control we hypothesized that tDCS of the DLPFC would influence individual’s use of the reinforcement heuristic in case of conflict. 364 participants (158 in the original study; 206 in the replication study) received the anodal or cathodal tDCS stimulation to the right, left DLPFC or sham. While we observed improved decision making in first-draw decisions following anodal stimulation to the right DLPFC, our study did not find evidence indicating that tDCS stimulation over the DLPFC affected inhibition of reinforcement.

Suggested Citation

  • Huang, Daqiang & Li, Yuzhen & Li, Jiahui, 2023. "Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: Less risk taking or more reflective? A tDCS study based on a Bayesian-updating task," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:99:y:2023:i:c:s0167487023000818
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2023.102680
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alós-Ferrer, Carlos & Hügelschäfer, Sabine & Li, Jiahui, 2017. "Framing effects and the reinforcement heuristic," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 32-35.
    2. Anja Achtziger & Carlos Alós-Ferrer, 2014. "Fast or Rational? A Response-Times Study of Bayesian Updating," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(4), pages 923-938, April.
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    4. Alós-Ferrer, Carlos & Buckenmaier, Johannes & Garagnani, Michele & Ritschel, Alexander, 2022. "The reinforcement paradox: Monetary incentives and Bayesian updating," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    5. Urs Fischbacher, 2007. "z-Tree: Zurich toolbox for ready-made economic experiments," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 10(2), pages 171-178, June.
    6. Carlos Alós-Ferrer & Alexander Jaudas & Alexander Ritschel, 2021. "Effortful Bayesian updating: A pupil-dilation study," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 63(1), pages 81-102, August.
    7. Obrecht, Natalie A. & Chesney, Dana L., 2016. "Prompting deliberation increases base-rate use," Judgment and Decision Making, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(1), pages 1-6, January.
    8. Gary Charness & Dan Levin, 2005. "When Optimal Choices Feel Wrong: A Laboratory Study of Bayesian Updating, Complexity, and Affect," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(4), pages 1300-1309, September.
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    Cited by:

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