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Value Signals in the Human OMPFC Network Distinguish Maximizers from

Satisficers during Goal Decision-Making

Jyrki Suomala, Ph.D; Jarmo Heinonen, Ph.D; Lauri Palokangas, BSc; Jussi Numminen, MD, Ph.D

Neuroeconomics Lab, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Espoo, Finland Helsinki Medical Imaging Center, Töölö Hospital, University of Helsinki, Finland

Objective

• Deep-seated goals in decision-making experiment

• Personal wage expectations were used as stimuli

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2500 €

2500 €

Yes

No

2500 €

2500 €

2500 €

Accept or Reject

Prospect Theory▶Prospect Theory (PT) value function explains

a variety of economical choice behaviors ▶Weighted Prospect Theory value function in

accordance to conventional parameterization (Tversky and Kahneman, 1992)

▶Choice behavior was studied in a subjective choice situation.

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Sample and task

• Eighteen right-handed university students (11

women) - 9 maximizers and 9 satisficers • Subset chosen from a larger study

(n=1209, Gasagrande, 2007)

• The subjects were scanned while engaged in a

task of accept or reject the wage

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Task to accept or reject the wage offers

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Behavioral: Maximizers (blue) vs. Satisficers

(red)

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▶There were no behavioral differences between Maximizers and Satisficers

Maximizers group Increased (positive correlation)

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The brain areas correlate with increased salary offer in the

Maximizers groupthresholds p < 0.001 at voxel level; minimum cluster size 10

voxels

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Number of voxels Local Zmax Location of local Anatomic area Putative 2.0*2.0*2.0 mm cluster maximum Brodman

(in MNI coordinates) area85 4.84 20 62 -10 Right Medial 11

Orbitofrontal cortex270 4.61 4 52 6 Bilateral Anterior 24/32

Cingulate Cortex213 4.37 4 -60 12 Calcarine Sulcus 17

84 4.22 44 30 -14 Right Posterior 11orbitofrontal cortex

67 3.98 -8 -74 -24 Left superiormedial cerebellum

11 3.60 2 62 -12 Left Medial 11orbitofrontal cortex

31 3.47 42 -60 22 Angular Gyrus 39

Results

▶The goal valuation signal in the right superior temporal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus and insula correlated positively with decreased salary offers in the Maximizers group.

▶Decreased value signal was observed in the dorsal posterior cingulate and superior cerebellum of Satisficers.

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Results

▶Goal decision value signals were engaged in the orbital and medial prefrontal cortex (OMPFC) network during the experiment in in the Maximizers group.

▶The orbitofrontal cortex should be viewed as a part of a functional network in OMPFC. This network includes both the orbitofrontal cortex and parts of the anterior cingulate cortex and has distinct connections to other parts of the brain (Kringelbach 2005).

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Results

▶No behavioral differences between Maximizers and Satisficers

however

▶In fMRI results Maximizers and Satisficers differed notably.

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▶Previous studies have suggested that the behavior of Maximizers and Satisficers

differs in real life contexts (Iyengar, S.S., Wells,

R.E. & Schwartz, B., 2006).

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Results

▶Weighted Prospect Theory value function in accordance to conventional parameterization (Tversky and Kahneman, 1992)

with

▶Goal valuation signals in the OMPFC network correlated positively with increased salary offers in the Maximizers group. Such signal was absent among the Satisficers.

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Conclusions

▶ Difference occurs also in the neurophysiological level between Maximizers and Satisficers.

▶ Explanation for this might be: the brain has

capability to incorporate cultural considerations into its standard valuation circuitry.

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Thank you to

Antoine Bechara,

Ming Hsu, Valtteri Leppihalme,

Sini Maunula, Jose Santos,

Tuomas Tolvanen and Tiina Vuorenpää

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