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The effect of apathy and compulsivity on planning and stopping in sequential decision-making

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  • Jacqueline Scholl
  • Hailey A Trier
  • Matthew F S Rushworth
  • Nils Kolling

Abstract

Real-life decision-making often comprises sequences of successive decisions about whether to take opportunities as they are encountered or keep searching for better ones instead. We investigated individual differences related to such sequential decision-making and link them especially to apathy and compulsivity in a large online sample (discovery sample: n = 449 and confirmation sample: n = 756). Our cognitive model revealed distinct changes in the way participants evaluated their environments and planned their own future behaviour. Apathy was linked to decision inertia, i.e., automatically persisting with a sequence of searches for longer than appropriate given the value of searching. Thus, despite being less motivated, they did not avoid the effort associated with longer searches. In contrast, compulsivity was linked to self-reported insensitivity to the cost of continuing with a sequence of searches. The objective measures of behavioural cost insensitivity were clearly linked to compulsivity only in the discovery sample. While the confirmation sample showed a similar effect, it did not reach significance. Nevertheless, in both samples, participants reported awareness of such bias (experienced as “overchasing”). In addition, this awareness made them report preemptively avoiding situations related to the bias. However, we found no evidence of them actually preempting more in the task, which might mean a misalignment of their metacognitive beliefs or that our behavioural measures were incomplete. In summary, individual variation in distinct, fundamental aspects of sequential decision-making can be linked to variation in 2 measures of behavioural traits associated with psychological illness in the normal population.This preregistered study investigated individual differences in a sequential decision making task. The cognitive model revealed distinct differences in the way participants evaluated their environments and planned their own future behaviour connected to clinical dimensions; apathy was linked to decision inertia and compulsivity to perceived insensitivity to the cost of continuing with a sequence of searches, but also attempts of pre-emptive avoidance.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacqueline Scholl & Hailey A Trier & Matthew F S Rushworth & Nils Kolling, 2022. "The effect of apathy and compulsivity on planning and stopping in sequential decision-making," PLOS Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 20(3), pages 1-38, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pbio00:3001566
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001566
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christoph W Korn & Dominik R Bach, 2015. "Maintaining Homeostasis by Decision-Making," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-19, May.
    2. John M McNamara & Pete C Trimmer, 2019. "Sequential choices using signal detection theory can reverse classical predictions," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 30(1), pages 16-19.
    3. Christoph W. Korn & Dominik R. Bach, 2019. "Minimizing threat via heuristic and optimal policies recruits hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 3(7), pages 733-745, July.
    4. Christoph W. Korn & Dominik R. Bach, 2018. "Heuristic and optimal policy computations in the human brain during sequential decision-making," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-15, December.
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