Goals and habits in the brain

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Decision Making
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• A central dichotomy in cognitive neuroscience distinguishes reflective (goal-directed) from reflexive (habitual) decision-making.
• This spectrum is also described using terms like model-based versus model-free and prospective versus retrospective processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evolution of experimental work on decision-making dichotomies.
• To examine four generations of research in this tradition, from rodent studies to current human paradigms.
• To provide insights into the forefront of the field's fifth generation of research.

Main Methods:

• Review of four generations of experimental work in decision-making research.
• Analysis of studies progressing from rodent models to human experiments.
• Examination of emerging paradigms challenging existing distinctions.

Main Results:

• The review traces the progression of research on reflective versus reflexive decision-making.
• It highlights the increasing sophistication of experimental paradigms used to study choice behavior.
• Current research actively probes and challenges the core distinctions within this decision-making spectrum.

Conclusions:

• The field has a rich history of investigating decision-making processes.
• Research has evolved significantly, employing rigorous experimental approaches.
• The current generation of research is pushing the boundaries of understanding the reflective-reflexive decision-making spectrum.