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Phasic and tonic arousal distinctly shape human decision bias.
Stijn Adriaan Nuiten1, Jan Willem De Gee2,3, Jasper Brian Zantvoord4,5
1Department of Psychiatry (UPK), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. stijnnuiten@gmail.com.
Communications Biology
|March 10, 2026
Summary
Tonic arousal influences inherent decision bias, while phasic arousal affects strategic decision-making shifts. This study differentiates arousal
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Decision Science
Background:
- Arousal fluctuations, both tonic (baseline) and phasic (transient), are hypothesized to impact perception and behavior.
- Understanding the distinct roles of tonic and phasic arousal in decision-making is crucial for cognitive neuroscience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether tonic and phasic arousal differentially influence decision biases.
- To explore the relationship between arousal states and strategic adjustments in decision formation.
Main Methods:
- Combined causal (pharmacology) and correlational (pupillometry) approaches in male participants.
- Utilized a yes/no visual detection task with computational modeling of choice behavior and EEG.
- Measured pupil-linked arousal and pharmacologically manipulated arousal levels.
Main Results:
- Tonic arousal and pharmacological interventions promoted liberal decision-making (more 'yes' choices) irrespective of task context.
- Phasic arousal modulated strategic shifts in decision bias, with effects being weakest during high phasic arousal.
- Decision bias shifts were linked to preparatory activity in motor cortex, suggesting a starting-point bias.
Conclusions:
- Tonic arousal is associated with inherent, context-independent decision biases.
- Phasic arousal is linked to context-dependent, strategic adjustments in decision-making.
- Findings support the distinct functional roles of tonic and phasic arousal in human perception and behavior.
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