Neurocognitive mechanisms underlying value-based decision-making: from core values to economic value.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Economics

Background:

• Value guides decisions in all aspects of human life.
• Neuroeconomics has identified brain regions (e.g., VMPFC) involved in economic value computation.
• Existing research has not fully addressed why individuals value certain things or why values differ across people.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the relationship between core values and economic value computation.
• To integrate the concept of core values into neuroeconomic research on decision-making.
• To propose a framework linking core values to neural mechanisms of economic value.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent neuroimaging studies.
• Investigation of neural representations of core values.
• Analysis of interactions between core value systems and economic value systems.

Main Results:

• Core values are intrinsically linked to self-schema and guide actions across situations.
• Core values may significantly determine individual differences in economic value computation.
• Neuroimaging studies reveal interactions between neural systems representing core values and economic value.

Conclusions:

• A common framework integrating core values and neuroeconomic research is proposed.
• Core values are crucial determinants of individual differences in value-based decision-making.
• This integration advances our understanding of the neural basis of decision-making.