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Distinct inter-brain synchronization patterns underlying group decision-making under uncertainty with partners in
Hanxuan Zhao1, Can Zhang1, Ruiwen Tao1
1Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research & Key Laboratory of Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University, 550, Dalian West Street, Shanghai 200083, China; College of International Business, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China.
Neuroimage
|April 1, 2023
Summary
Group decisions under uncertainty differ between friends and strangers. Inter-brain synchronization in the prefrontal cortex reveals distinct neural patterns influencing risk-taking behavior based on relationship closeness.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Social Psychology
- Decision Science
Background:
- Interpersonal relationships significantly influence human behavior, yet their impact on group decision-making under uncertainty remains underexplored.
- Real-time interaction dynamics and individual characteristics may modulate group choices, particularly in uncertain environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how interpersonal relationships (friends vs. strangers) affect group decision-making propensity under uncertainty.
- To explore inter-brain synchronization (IBS) patterns in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during group decision-making using fNIRS-based hyperscanning.
- To examine the moderating role of social value orientation (SVO) on the relationship between closeness, IBS, and decision-making.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the turn-based Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) to assess group decision-making under uncertainty.
- Employed functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)-based hyperscanning to measure inter-brain synchronization (IBS) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC).
- Applied support vector machine (SVM) algorithms to predict decision-making propensity from IBS patterns.
Main Results:
- Friend dyads exhibited greater uncertainty-averse behavior compared to stranger dyads.
- Feedback-related IBS in the left inferior frontal gyrus (l-IFG) and medial frontopolar cortex (mFPC) was modulated by interpersonal relationships.
- IBS patterns in the PFC during feedback predicted decision-making propensity differently for friend and stranger groups.
- Social value orientation (SVO) moderated the mediation effect of dyad closeness on decision-making via IBS in the right lateral frontopolar cortex (r-FPC).
Conclusions:
- Interpersonal relationships significantly shape both behavioral responses and underlying neural synchronization during group decision-making under uncertainty.
- Distinct IBS patterns in the PFC are associated with different relationship types and feedback processing, influencing risk-taking.
- Dyad closeness, mediated by specific IBS patterns and moderated by SVO, plays a crucial role in navigating uncertainty within social contexts.
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