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When emotional responses conflict with self-interested impulses: A transcranial direct current stimulation study of cognitive control in cooperative norm compliance

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  • Yin, Xile
  • Li, Jianbiao
  • Li, Dahui
  • Chen, Siyu

Abstract

This study proposes a conflict between the impulse to express negative emotions and the temptation to behave selfishly in the cognitive control processes of complying with cooperative norms. We conduct an experiment with two tasks (cost and no-cost) in a prisoner’s dilemma game with third-party punishment and apply the transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to modulate the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The results indicate significant differences in tDCS effects on third-party punishment between two cost conditions. In the no-cost task, third parties in the cathodal condition report higher negative emotional responses and assign more punishment to norm violators than those in the sham condition. However, the tDCS effect on third-party punishment is not significant in the cost task. Our results help address the inconsistent findings in prior literature regarding the role of the right DLPFC in norm compliance and deepen our understanding of the cognitive control process in enforcing cooperative norms by third parties.

Suggested Citation

  • Yin, Xile & Li, Jianbiao & Li, Dahui & Chen, Siyu, 2023. "When emotional responses conflict with self-interested impulses: A transcranial direct current stimulation study of cognitive control in cooperative norm compliance," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:99:y:2023:i:c:s0167487023000764
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2023.102675
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cooperative norm; Third-party punishment; Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC); Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS); Negative emotion; Cognitive control;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D87 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Neuroeconomics
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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