Abstract:

The role of visual attention in decision-making processes and the mechanisms that underlie its influence have garnered significant research attention in recent years. Visual attention, as a fundamental mechanism for information selection and cognitive resource allocation, serves as the cornerstone for information processing and cognitive functions, as well as a vital prerequisite for executing various social behaviors. Up to now, extensive empirical evidence has consistently demonstrated that visual attention exerts a profound impact on individuals’ decision-making preferences. However, a comprehensive examination of how visual attention differentially influences various types of decision-making, and the underlying mechanisms responsible for these effects, remains elusive.

The present article endeavors to bridge this gap by exploring the multifaceted influence of visual attention on perceptual decision-making, preferential decision-making, and other forms of social decision-making. By conducting a thorough review of existing literature, we systematically categorize and discuss the effects of visual attention across these domains. Furthermore, we delve into four pivotal hypotheses: the mere exposure effect, the gaze cascade hypothesis, the sequential sampling model (encompassing the drift diffusion model and the attentional drift diffusion model), and the adaptive attention representation model. These frameworks provide valuable insights into how visual attention shapes decision-making processes.

According to a comprehensive review of previous studies, the article examines the influence of visual attention on three typical types of decision-making. Our findings reveal that visual attention’s impact on perceptual decision-making is primarily evident in two distinct aspects: the selection of relevant targets and the preferential attraction towards salient stimuli, coupled with the inhibition of non-target salient stimuli. In the realm of preferential decision-making, we observe a dynamic interplay between attention and option value, wherein attention amplifies the subjective worth of options, and prolonged attention towards an option intensifies the preference for it. Conversely, the value of an option also steers an individual’s gaze, resulting in a longer fixation on preferred options. In addition, the interplay between bottom-up and top-down attention, in conjunction with social context (object), may also play a pivotal role in shaping individuals’ social decision-making preferences.

A thorough examination of related studies and theories underscores the predictive power of visual attention indicators (such as relative gaze duration, first fixation, and last fixation) in forecasting individuals’ decision behaviors. Building upon these insights, we posit that visual attention exerts its influence on decision-making primarily through the mechanism of accumulating evidence pertaining to the attended option. Among the various theoretical frameworks, the sequential sampling model emerges as a particularly robust explanation for the intricate relationship between visual attention and decision-making. This has important theoretical value and practical insights for our in-depth understanding of the interaction between visual attention and decision-making. What’s more, this article also contributes to the further development of a sequential sampling model of visual attention influencing decision-making.

To advance our understanding of this intricate interplay, we propose four avenues for future research. Firstly, studies should manipulate option preferences with varying degrees of disparity to ascertain the generalization of findings derived from studies involving similarly preferred options. Secondly, investigating moderating factors within decision-making contexts and visual environments is crucial. Thirdly, a holistic approach to studying human decision-making behavior, incorporating auditory, olfactory, and even implicit attention, offers a promising avenue to comprehensively assess the differential impacts of various attention types on decision-making. Lastly, further exploration of the mechanisms underpinning the sequential sampling model is imperative to deepen our comprehension of the intricate effects of visual attention on decision-making processes.

In conclusion, this article offers a comprehensive overview of the multifaceted influence of visual attention on decision-making, elucidating its mechanisms and proposing avenues for future research. By doing so, we contribute to both the theoretical understanding of the intricate relationship between visual attention and decision-making and the practical implications of these findings for various domains.

Key words: visual attention, perceptual decision-making, preferential decision-making, social decision-making, drift diffusion model