Computational EEG Modelling of Decision Making Under Ambiguity Reveals Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Outcome Evaluation

Year
2016
Type(s)
Author(s)
Jollans, Lee and Whelan, Robert and Venables, Louise and Turnbull, Oliver H and Cella, Matteo and Dymond, Simon
Source
Behavioural Brain Research, 2016
Url
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166432816313171

Complex human cognition, such as decision-making under ambiguity, is reflected in dynamic spatio-temporal activity in the brain. Here, we combined event-related potentials with computational modelling of the time course of decision-making and outcome evaluation during the Iowa Gambling Task. Measures of choice probability generated using the Prospect Valence Learning Delta (PVL-Delta) model, in addition to objective trial outcomes (outcome magnitude and valence), were applied as regressors in a general linear model of the EEG signal. The resulting three-dimensional spatio-temporal characterization of task-related neural dynamics demonstrated that outcome valence, outcome magnitude, and PVL-Delta choice probability were expressed in distinctly separate event related potentials. Our findings showed that the P3 component was associated with an experience-based measure of outcome expectancy.