Having more choices changes how human observers weight stable sensory evidence
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Publication Details
Author list: Itthipuripat S., Cha K., Deering S., Salazar A.M., Serences J.T.
Publisher: Society for Neuroscience
Publication year: 2018
Journal: The Journal of Neuroscience (0270-6474)
Volume number: 38
Issue number: 40
Start page: 8635
End page: 8649
Number of pages: 15
ISSN: 0270-6474
eISSN: 1529-2401
Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)
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Abstract
Decision-making becomes slower when more choices are available. Existing models attribute this slowing to poor sensory processing, to attenuated rates of sensory evidence accumulation, or to increases in the amount of evidence required before committing to a decision (a higher decision threshold). However, studies have not isolated the effects of having more choices on sensory and decision-related processes from changes in task difficulty and divided attention. Here, we controlled task difficulty while independently manipulating the distribution of attention and the number of choices available to male and female human observers. We used EEG to measure steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEPs) and a frontal late positive deflection (LPD), EEG markers of sensory and postsensory decision-related processes, respectively. We found that dividing attention decreased SSVEP and LPD amplitudes, consistent with dampened sensory responses and slower rates of evidence accumulation, respectively. In contrast, having more choices did not alter SSVEP amplitude and led to a larger LPD. These results suggest that having more options largely spares early sensory processing and slows down decision-making via a selective increase in decision thresholds. Copyright ฉ 2018 the authors.
Keywords
Decision threshold, Divided attention, Event-related potential, Evidence accumulation, Multiple-choice decision-making, Steady-state visually evoked potential
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