Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 8, 2025
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
835
Current and expected affective valence interact to predict choice in recurrent decisions.
Daniel Thomas Jäger1,2, Celine Behrens1, Jascha Rüsseler1,2
1Department of Psychology, Otto-Friedrich University, Bamberg, Germany.
Cognition & Emotion
|January 3, 2022
Summary
Affective valence, encompassing current and expected feelings, significantly influences choices in repeated decision-making tasks. These emotional factors interact, with current feelings becoming more influential when expectations are uncertain or positive.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Affective valence (feelings) influences decision-making.
- The precise role of current versus expected affect in recurrent decisions remains debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between current and expected affective valence in predicting choices during recurrent decision-making.
- To clarify the distinct and combined contributions of current and expected affect.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a generalized mixed-effects model.
- Analyzed gambling responses in an experience-based learning task.
- Collected ratings of current and expected affective valence.
Main Results:
- Current and expected affective valence significantly interact to predict choices.
- Expected valence showed the largest effect size, but current valence and the interaction were also significant predictors.
- Participants relied more on current affective valence when expectations were unclear or positive.
Conclusions:
- Current and expected affective valence are interdependent and interact to guide choices in recurrent decision tasks.
- Findings support dual-process theories and the affective signaling hypothesis in decision-making.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Decision Making
296
Decision-making is a fundamental cognitive process that involves evaluating alternatives and selecting among them. This process can range from simple choices, such as deciding what to wear, to complex decisions, like choosing a major in college or a career path. The complexity of the decision often dictates the approach we use, which can be broadly categorized into two types: automatic and controlled decision-making.
Automatic decision-making is fast, intuitive, and relies on gut feelings...
Automatic decision-making is fast, intuitive, and relies on gut feelings...
296
01:29The Influence of Cognition on Affect
14
Cognition plays a pivotal role in shaping emotional experiences, as demonstrated by Schachter and Singer’s two-factor theory of emotion. According to this model, emotion arises from a combination of physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation. The body’s physiological response to stimuli is ambiguous and only gains emotional significance through cognitive labeling. For instance, an increased heart rate and adrenaline surge while standing near an attractive person may be...
14
01:37Reason and Intuition
7.0K
The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the...
7.0K
01:09Decision Making: P-value Method
5.8K
The process of hypothesis testing based on the P-value method includes calculating the P- value using the sample data and interpreting it.
First, a specific claim about the population parameter is proposed. The claim is based on the research question and is stated in a simple form. Further, an opposing statement to the claim is also stated. These statements can act as null and alternative hypotheses: a null hypothesis would be a neutral statement while the alternative hypothesis can...
First, a specific claim about the population parameter is proposed. The claim is based on the research question and is stated in a simple form. Further, an opposing statement to the claim is also stated. These statements can act as null and alternative hypotheses: a null hypothesis would be a neutral statement while the alternative hypothesis can...
5.8K
01:29The Influence of Affect on Cognition
15
Positive affect significantly influences cognitive processes, including evaluation, memory, creativity, and social judgments. Compared to negative affect, positive emotional states promote more favorable interpretations of stimuli, cognitive flexibility, and heuristic processing. These effects highlight emotions' powerful role in shaping how individuals perceive, remember, and interact with the world.Influence on Evaluation and AttributionWhen individuals experience positive affect, they are...
15
01:24Role of Affect in Interpersonal Attraction
18
Affect plays a crucial role in shaping interpersonal evaluations and perceptions. Emotions influence how individuals judge and respond to others, often determining whether interactions are viewed positively or negatively. This effect can manifest directly through interactions with the person in question or indirectly via associations with unrelated emotional experiences.Direct Effects of Affect on AttractionAffect directly influences interpersonal attraction when a person’s behavior...
18