Basics of cognitive, affective and social neuroscience.
XI. Social decision

Czech version

Authors: F. Koukolík
Authors‘ workplace: Oddělení patologie a molekulární medicíny, Národní referenční laboratoř prionových chorob, Fakultní Thomayerova nemocnice s poliklinikou, Praha, Primář: MUDr. František Koukolík, DrSc.
Published in: Prakt. Lék. 2011; 91(11): 632-638
Category: Editorial

Overview

The nature and means of decision has been of interest to philosophers since ancient Greece. A new scientific discipline has taken shape: neuroeconomics - which attempts to unify the advancements and research results of psychology, neuroscience and economy into a unified scope. Neuroeconomics has its supporters and vigorous opponents particularly among economists, some of who consider neuroeconomics dubious or irrelevant. Recently the first molecular genetic studies have begun to appear. The social decision described by the theory of expected utility and by the prospect theory has in its simplified point of view two tiers: the first phase is valuation, the second is a choice from a number of possibilities.

Key nodes of the “common neural currency” are

the tegmentalis ventralis,
pars compacta of the substantia nigra,
nc. caudatus,
the ventral striatum,
orbitofrontal and medial prefrontal cortex.

Key nodes responsible for choice are

parietal and
lateral prefrontal cortex.

The evolutionary perspective says that human decision making is not guided by utility maximization but by operation of numerous decision rules shaped by selection to solve specific adaptive problems.

Key words:
social decision, neuroeconomics, expected utility theory, decision theory, evolutionary perspective.

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