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Updated: Jun 17, 2026
08:24
The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
When people matter more than money: an ERPs study.
Davide Rigoni1, David Polezzi, Rino Rumiati
1Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy. davide.rigoni@unipd.it
Brain Research Bulletin
|December 17, 2009
Summary
Social interactions significantly influence gambling decisions, overriding simple gain-loss patterns. Neural responses and emotional reactions to outcomes are modulated by social context, impacting economic decision-making.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Economic decision-making is often studied in isolation.
- The impact of social context on financial choices and neural processing is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how social interaction factors influence neural responses and affective ratings during a gambling task.
- To compare brain activity and subjective experiences across different social contexts: no social context, social comparison, and competition.
Main Methods:
- An Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) study was conducted with three groups of participants.
- Participants engaged in gambling tasks under varying social conditions.
- Neural responses (P200, FRN) and affective ratings were measured.
Main Results:
- Neural responses, specifically P200, were modulated by social context, indicating reduced attention to payoffs in comparison and competitive scenarios.
- Feedback Related Negativity (FRN) predicted subjective pleasantness/unpleasantness.
- Social interaction type had a greater influence than the pattern of gains and losses.
Conclusions:
- Social factors play a crucial role in modulating neural and cognitive processing during economic decision-making.
- Attentional resources are reallocated in social gambling tasks, prioritizing social cues over immediate financial outcomes.
- Understanding social influences is key to comprehending complex economic behaviors.
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