ISSN 1671-3710
CN 11-4766/R

Advances in Psychological Science ›› 2015, Vol. 23 ›› Issue (3): 364-374.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1042.2015.00364

• Conceptual Framework • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Cognitive and Neural Mechanism of Ambiguity Decision-making

ZHANG Fenghua; ZHANG Yuting; XIANG Ling; HU Zhujing   

  1. (School of Psychology, Key Laboratory of Psychology and Cognition Science of Jiangxi, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China) (2 Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairments, Hangzhou 310015, China)
  • Received:2014-03-31 Online:2015-03-15 Published:2015-03-15
  • Contact: ZHANG Fenghua, E-mail: zhangfh@jxnu.edu.cn

Abstract:

So far, numerous studies have focused on the exploration of cognitive and neural mechanism of risk decision-making, but less attention have been paid to that of decision-making under ambiguity. In reality, however, the circumstances of decision-making what we faced are usually ambiguity. Moreover, it still does not reach an agreement on whether decision-making under ambiguity is a kind of special and complicated risk decision-making or a kind of independent decision-making. Hence, it is necessary to reveal the underlying cognitive and neural mechanisms of decision-making under ambiguity. To solve this problem, firstly, using modified IGT task and GDT task, and applying ERP, biofeedback and genetic measures, we will examine the dissociation of decision-making under ambiguity and risk decision-making among Internet addicts and normal populations; Secondly, by modified IGT task and urn drawing task, and employing ERP and fMRI techniques, we plan to investigate the cognitive and neural mechanism of decision-making under ambiguity; Finally, we will validate the above results from a developmental and clinical perspective. Overall, the findings will help to expand research areas of decision-making under ambiguity, and will provide important theoretical guidance to understand human beings’ decision-making mechanism under ambiguous conditions and clarify the relationship between the decision-making under ambiguity and risk decision- making. At last, the findings have great theoretical and practical values on guiding cognitive diagnosis and therapy for clinical populations such as the addicts and the brain-impaired patients, and on giving insights to the enterprises and the individuals in real decision-making situations.

Key words: decision-making under ambiguity, risk decision-making, cognitive neuroscience, Iowa Gambling Task, meta analysis.