Abstract:

The existing studies on self-other differences in decision-making still have many inconsistencies in the used tasks, the related findings and theoretical explanations, and lack of exploration of psychological mechanisms and neural basis of this phenomenon. Although some researchers have used psychological distance hypothesis to explain their research results, the manipulation of psychological distance in their experiment are still too simple to form a general theoretical model. In recent years, we have found in a series of studies that: The asymmetry in self-other differences in decision-making exist under gain and loss situations; Manipulation of psychological distance is more effective in inducing self–other differences in decision-making than manipulation of social distance and decision-makers’ roles; Self-esteem levels of decision-makers affect self-other differences in decision-making. Future studies should further explore the essence of psychological distance, the change in psychological distance caused by reversal of decision-makers’ role, as well as the brain mechanisms of self-other differences in decision-making.

Key words: Self-other differences in decision-making, Risk preference, Psychological distance, Decision- makers&rsquo, role, Social distance