Neural correlates, computation and behavioural impact of decision confidence.
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| Title: | Neural correlates, computation and behavioural impact of decision confidence. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Kepecs, Adam, Uchida, Naoshige, Zariwala, Hatim A., Mainen, Zachary F. |
| Source: | Nature. 9/11/2008, Vol. 455 Issue 7210, p227-231. 5p. 5 Graphs. |
| Subjects: | Decision making, Confidence, Attitude (Psychology), Behavioral assessment, Neurons, Cerebral cortex, Laboratory rats |
| Abstract: | Humans and other animals must often make decisions on the basis of imperfect evidence. Statisticians use measures such as P values to assign degrees of confidence to propositions, but little is known about how the brain computes confidence estimates about decisions. We explored this issue using behavioural analysis and neural recordings in rats in combination with computational modelling. Subjects were trained to perform an odour categorization task that allowed decision confidence to be manipulated by varying the distance of the test stimulus to the category boundary. To understand how confidence could be computed along with the choice itself, using standard models of decision-making, we defined a simple measure that quantified the quality of the evidence contributing to a particular decision. Here we show that the firing rates of many single neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex match closely to the predictions of confidence models and cannot be readily explained by alternative mechanisms, such as learning stimulus–outcome associations. Moreover, when tested using a delayed reward version of the task, we found that rats’ willingness to wait for rewards increased with confidence, as predicted by the theoretical model. These results indicate that confidence estimates, previously suggested to require ‘metacognition’ and conscious awareness, are available even in the rodent brain, can be computed with relatively simple operations, and can drive adaptive behaviour. We suggest that confidence estimation may be a fundamental and ubiquitous component of decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Nature is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 34235825 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Neural correlates, computation and behavioural impact of decision confidence. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kepecs%2C+Adam%22">Kepecs, Adam</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Uchida%2C+Naoshige%22">Uchida, Naoshige</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zariwala%2C+Hatim+A%2E%22">Zariwala, Hatim A.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mainen%2C+Zachary+F%2E%22">Mainen, Zachary F.</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Nature%22">Nature</searchLink>. 9/11/2008, Vol. 455 Issue 7210, p227-231. 5p. 5 Graphs. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Decision+making%22">Decision making</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Confidence%22">Confidence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitude+%28Psychology%29%22">Attitude (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavioral+assessment%22">Behavioral assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Neurons%22">Neurons</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cerebral+cortex%22">Cerebral cortex</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Laboratory+rats%22">Laboratory rats</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Humans and other animals must often make decisions on the basis of imperfect evidence. Statisticians use measures such as P values to assign degrees of confidence to propositions, but little is known about how the brain computes confidence estimates about decisions. We explored this issue using behavioural analysis and neural recordings in rats in combination with computational modelling. Subjects were trained to perform an odour categorization task that allowed decision confidence to be manipulated by varying the distance of the test stimulus to the category boundary. To understand how confidence could be computed along with the choice itself, using standard models of decision-making, we defined a simple measure that quantified the quality of the evidence contributing to a particular decision. Here we show that the firing rates of many single neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex match closely to the predictions of confidence models and cannot be readily explained by alternative mechanisms, such as learning stimulus–outcome associations. Moreover, when tested using a delayed reward version of the task, we found that rats’ willingness to wait for rewards increased with confidence, as predicted by the theoretical model. These results indicate that confidence estimates, previously suggested to require ‘metacognition’ and conscious awareness, are available even in the rodent brain, can be computed with relatively simple operations, and can drive adaptive behaviour. We suggest that confidence estimation may be a fundamental and ubiquitous component of decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Nature is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=34235825 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1038/nature07200 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 5 StartPage: 227 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Decision making Type: general – SubjectFull: Confidence Type: general – SubjectFull: Attitude (Psychology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Behavioral assessment Type: general – SubjectFull: Neurons Type: general – SubjectFull: Cerebral cortex Type: general – SubjectFull: Laboratory rats Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Neural correlates, computation and behavioural impact of decision confidence. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kepecs, Adam – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Uchida, Naoshige – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Zariwala, Hatim A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mainen, Zachary F. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 11 M: 09 Text: 9/11/2008 Type: published Y: 2008 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00280836 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 455 – Type: issue Value: 7210 Titles: – TitleFull: Nature Type: main |
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