Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 4 August 2006:
Vol. 313. no. 5787, pp. 684 - 687
DOI: 10.1126/science.1128356
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Frames, Biases, and Rational Decision-Making in the Human Brain

Benedetto De Martino,* Dharshan Kumaran, Ben Seymour, Raymond J. Dolan

Human choices are remarkably susceptible to the manner in which options are presented. This so-called "framing effect" represents a striking violation of standard economic accounts of human rationality, although its underlying neurobiology is not understood. We found that the framing effect was specifically associated with amygdala activity, suggesting a key role for an emotional system in mediating decision biases. Moreover, across individuals, orbital and medial prefrontal cortex activity predicted a reduced susceptibility to the framing effect. This finding highlights the importance of incorporating emotional processes within models of human choice and suggests how the brain may modulate the effect of these biasing influences to approximate rationality.

Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1 3AR, UK.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: b.martino{at}fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Monetary Losses Do Not Loom Large in Later Life: Age Differences in the Framing Effect.
J. A. Mikels and A. E. Reed (2009)
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 64B, 457-460
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Genetic contributions of the serotonin transporter to social learning of fear and economic decision making.
L. G. Crisan, S. Pana, R. Vulturar, R. M. Heilman, R. Szekely, B. Druga, N. Dragos, and A. C. Miu (2009)
Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Facial Emotion Processing in Schizophrenia: A Meta-analysis of Functional Neuroimaging Data.
H. Li, R. C.K. Chan, G. M. McAlonan, and Q.-y. Gong (2009)
Schizophr Bull
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A Genetically Mediated Bias in Decision Making Driven by Failure of Amygdala Control.
J. P. Roiser, B. de Martino, G. C. Y. Tan, D. Kumaran, B. Seymour, N. W. Wood, and R. J. Dolan (2009)
J. Neurosci. 29, 5985-5991
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Fundamental Contribution by the Basolateral Amygdala to Different Forms of Decision Making.
S. Ghods-Sharifi, J. R. St. Onge, and S. B. Floresco (2009)
J. Neurosci. 29, 5251-5259
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Neurobiology of Reference-Dependent Value Computation.
B. De Martino, D. Kumaran, B. Holt, and R. J. Dolan (2009)
J. Neurosci. 29, 3833-3842
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Neural Response to Reward Anticipation under Risk Is Nonlinear in Probabilities.
M. Hsu, I. Krajbich, C. Zhao, and C. F. Camerer (2009)
J. Neurosci. 29, 2231-2237
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Dorsal Medial Prefrontal Cortex Plays a Necessary Role in Rapid Error Prediction in Humans.
M. Modirrousta and L. K. Fellows (2008)
J. Neurosci. 28, 14000-14005
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The role of the striatum in aversive learning and aversive prediction errors.
M. R Delgado, J. Li, D. Schiller, and E. A Phelps (2008)
Phil Trans R Soc B 363, 3787-3800
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Endowment effect in capuchin monkeys.
V. Lakshminaryanan, M Keith Chen, and L. R Santos (2008)
Phil Trans R Soc B 363, 3837-3844
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The role of social cognition in decision making.
C. D Frith and T. Singer (2008)
Phil Trans R Soc B 363, 3875-3886
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The role of moral utility in decision making: An interdisciplinary framework.
P. N. Tobler, A. Kalis, and T. Kalenscher (2008)
Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci 8, 390-401
   Abstract »    PDF »
Framing effects under cognitive load: The role of working memory in risky decisions.
P. Whitney, C. A. Rinehart, and J. M. Hinson (2008)
Psychon Bull Rev 15, 1179-1184
   Abstract »    PDF »
A Theory of Medical Decision Making and Health: Fuzzy Trace Theory.
V. F. Reyna (2008)
Med Decis Making 28, 850-865
   Abstract »    PDF »
Explaining Enhanced Logical Consistency during Decision Making in Autism.
B. De Martino, N. A. Harrison, S. Knafo, G. Bird, and R. J. Dolan (2008)
J. Neurosci. 28, 10746-10750
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A Local Circuit Model of Learned Striatal and Dopamine Cell Responses under Probabilistic Schedules of Reward.
C. O. Tan and D. Bullock (2008)
J. Neurosci. 28, 10062-10074
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Reduced Amygdala Response to Fearful Expressions in Children and Adolescents With Callous-Unemotional Traits and Disruptive Behavior Disorders.
A. A. Marsh, E. C. Finger, D. G.V. Mitchell, M. E. Reid, C. Sims, D. S. Kosson, K. E. Towbin, E. Leibenluft, D. S. Pine, and R. J.R. Blair (2008)
Am J Psychiatry 165, 712-720
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Endogenous steroids and financial risk taking on a London trading floor.
J. M. Coates and J. Herbert (2008)
PNAS 105, 6167-6172
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Functional Imaging of Decision Conflict.
J.-B. Pochon, J. Riis, A. G. Sanfey, L. E. Nystrom, and J. D. Cohen (2008)
J. Neurosci. 28, 3468-3473
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Will: From Metaphysical Freedom to Normative Functionalism.
A. R. Felthous (2008)
J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 36, 16-24
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Unconscious emotional reasoning and the therapeutic misconception.
A Charuvastra and S R Marder (2008)
J. Med. Ethics 34, 193-197
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Human Pavlovian Instrumental Transfer.
D. Talmi, B. Seymour, P. Dayan, and R. J. Dolan (2008)
J. Neurosci. 28, 360-368
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Immediate Reward Bias in Humans: Fronto-Parietal Networks and a Role for the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase 158Val/Val Genotype.
C. A. Boettiger, J. M. Mitchell, V. C. Tavares, M. Robertson, G. Joslyn, M. D'Esposito, and H. L. Fields (2007)
J. Neurosci. 27, 14383-14391
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Decision-Making Dysfunctions in Psychiatry Altered Homeostatic Processing?.
M. P. Paulus (2007)
Science 318, 602-606
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The human amygdala and orbital prefrontal cortex in behavioural regulation.
R.J Dolan (2007)
Phil Trans R Soc B 362, 787-799
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Neural Basis of Loss Aversion in Decision-Making Under Risk.
S. M. Tom, C. R. Fox, C. Trepel, and R. A. Poldrack (2007)
Science 315, 515-518
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)