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A Neuroeconomics Approach to Inferring Utility Functions in Sensorimotor Control

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  • Konrad P Körding
  • Izumi Fukunaga
  • Ian S Howard
  • James N Ingram
  • Daniel M Wolpert

Abstract

Making choices is a fundamental aspect of human life. For over a century experimental economists have characterized the decisions people make based on the concept of a utility function. This function increases with increasing desirability of the outcome, and people are assumed to make decisions so as to maximize utility. When utility depends on several variables, indifference curves arise that represent outcomes with identical utility that are therefore equally desirable. Whereas in economics utility is studied in terms of goods and services, the sensorimotor system may also have utility functions defining the desirability of various outcomes. Here, we investigate the indifference curves when subjects experience forces of varying magnitude and duration. Using a two-alternative forced-choice paradigm, in which subjects chose between different magnitude–duration profiles, we inferred the indifference curves and the utility function. Such a utility function defines, for example, whether subjects prefer to lift a 4-kg weight for 30 s or a 1-kg weight for a minute. The measured utility function depends nonlinearly on the force magnitude and duration and was remarkably conserved across subjects. This suggests that the utility function, a central concept in economics, may be applicable to the study of sensorimotor control. Economists use the concept of a utility function, which increases with increasing desirability of the outcome, to characterize human decision making. This concept is shown here to apply to the control of movement.

Suggested Citation

  • Konrad P Körding & Izumi Fukunaga & Ian S Howard & James N Ingram & Daniel M Wolpert, 2004. "A Neuroeconomics Approach to Inferring Utility Functions in Sensorimotor Control," PLOS Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 2(10), pages 1-1, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pbio00:0020330
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0020330
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Thomas M. Humphrey, 1996. "The early history of the box diagram," Economic Quarterly, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, issue Win, pages 37-75.
    2. Christopher M. Harris & Daniel M. Wolpert, 1998. "Signal-dependent noise determines motor planning," Nature, Nature, vol. 394(6695), pages 780-784, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pierre Morel & Philipp Ulbrich & Alexander Gail, 2017. "What makes a reach movement effortful? Physical effort discounting supports common minimization principles in decision making and motor control," PLOS Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-23, June.
    2. Max Berniker & Megan K O’Brien & Konrad P Kording & Alaa A Ahmed, 2013. "An Examination of the Generalizability of Motor Costs," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, January.
    3. Da Silva, Sergio, 2014. "The Mutual Gains from Trade Moderate the Parent-Offspring Conflict - Updated," MPRA Paper 60561, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Ignasi Cos, 2017. "Perceived effort for motor control and decision-making," PLOS Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(8), pages 1-6, August.
    5. Da Silva, Sergio, 2013. "The mutual gains from trade moderate the parent-offspring conflict," MPRA Paper 46627, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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