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What mechanisms mediate prior probability effects on rapid-choice decision-making?
Rohan Puri1, Mark R Hinder1, Andrew Heathcote2,3
1Sensorimotor Neuroscience and Ageing Research Group, School of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
Prior probability influences rapid decision-making by affecting both response thresholds and non-decision time, challenging the assumption of selective threshold effects in cognitive models. This impacts how we understand evidence accumulation in choice tasks.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Decision Science
Background:
- Rapid decision-making is influenced by the prior probability of response alternatives.
- Traditional models assume prior probability effects selectively impact response thresholds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of prior probability on decision-making processes beyond just response thresholds.
- To examine effects on evidence accumulation rate and non-decision time.
- To compare these effects in young and older adults.
Main Methods:
- A choice response-time task with manipulated prior probabilities (block-wise and trial-wise bias).
- Participants included healthy young (n=21) and older (n=20) adults.
- Data analyzed using the racing diffusion evidence-accumulation model.
Main Results:
- Response times were slower for incongruent than congruent trials.
- Older adults were slower but more accurate than younger adults.
- Evidence-accumulation modeling indicated prior probability affected both response thresholds and non-decision time.
Conclusions:
- Prior probability effects in rapid choice tasks influence both response thresholds and non-decision time.
- The assumption of selective threshold influence in the racing diffusion model is questioned.
- Findings suggest a broader impact of prior probability on cognitive processing during decision-making.
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