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Relief from incidental fear evokes exuberant risk taking

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  • Sonja van Well
  • John P O’Doherty
  • Frans van Winden

Abstract

Incidental emotions are defined as feelings that are unrelated to a decision task at hand and thereby not normatively relevant for making choices. The precise influence and formal theoretical implications of incidental emotions regarding financial risk taking are still largely unclear. An effect of incidental emotion on decision-making would challenge the main extant formal theoretical economic models because such models do not allow for an effect of incidental emotions. As financial risk taking is pervasive in modern economies, the role of incidental emotions is an important issue. The goal of this experimental study is threefold. First, we examine the impact of incidental fear on the choice between a sure and a risky monetary option. A well-validated method of fear induction, using electric shocks, is employed for that purpose. Based on emotion studies we hypothesize less risk taking under fear and more risk taking when relieved of fear. Our second goal is to investigate the relative performance of the main existing formal theoretical economic models (based on Expected Utility Theory, Prospect Theory, or the Mean-Variance model) in explaining the behavioral data. We also investigate how these models can be adjusted to accommodate any observed influence of incidental emotion. For that reason, we first theoretically model the potential pathways of incidental fear (and the relief thereof) via the valuation of the choice option rewards or risk-assessment. We then estimate the relevant parameters allowing for both additive as well as interactive effects. Our third and final goal is to explore the neural basis of any observed influence of incidental emotions on decision-making by means of a model-based fMRI analysis, using the findings of existing neuroeconomic studies as the basis for our hypotheses. Our results indicate that the relief of fear can give a substantial boost to financial risk taking (suggestive of exuberance). This impact is best captured by Prospect Theory if we allow for an increase in participants’ valuation of option outcomes when relieved of fear. Moreover, this impact is manifested at the neural level by the activity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), a brain area widely regarded as being central for valuation.

Suggested Citation

  • Sonja van Well & John P O’Doherty & Frans van Winden, 2019. "Relief from incidental fear evokes exuberant risk taking," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0211018
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211018
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Brice Corgnet & Camille Cornand & Nobuyuki Hanaki, 2024. "Negative Tail Events, Emotions and Risk Taking," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 134(658), pages 538-578.
    2. Nikhil Masters & Tim Lloyd & Chris Starmer, 2022. "Do emotional carryover effects carry over?," Discussion Papers 2022-16, The Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham.
    3. Brice Corgnet & Camille Cornand & Nobuyuki Hanaki, 2020. "Negative Tail Events, Emotions & Risk Taking," Working Papers 2016, Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon St-Étienne (GATE Lyon St-Étienne), Université de Lyon.
    4. Brice Corgnet & Camille Cornand & Nobuyuki Hanaki, 2020. "Tail events, emotions and risk taking," Working Papers halshs-02613344, HAL.
    5. Masters, Nikhil & Lloyd, Tim & Starmer, Chris, 2025. "Do emotional carryover effects carry over?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    6. Nikhil Masters & Tim Lloyd & Chris Starmer, 2024. "Do emotional carryover effects carry over?," Discussion Papers 2024-09, The Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham.

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