Effects of loss aversion on neural responses to loss outcomes: An event-related potential study.
Loss aversion is the tendency to prefer avoiding losses over acquiring gains of the same amount. To shed light on the spatio-temporal processes underlying loss aversion, we analysed the associations between individual loss aversion and electrophysiological responses to loss and gain outcomes in a monetary gamble task. Electroencephalographic feedback-related negativity (FRN) was computed in 29 healthy participants as the difference in electrical potentials between losses and gains. Loss aversion was evaluated using non-linear parametric fitting of choices in a separate gamble task. Loss aversion correlated positively with FRN amplitude (233-263ms) at electrodes covering the lower face. Feedback related potentials were modelled by five equivalent source dipoles. From these dipoles, stronger activity in a source located in the orbitofrontal cortex was associated with loss aversion. The results suggest that loss aversion implemented during risky decision making is related to a valuation process in the orbitofrontal cortex, which manifests during learning choice outcomes.
['Kokmotou|Katerina|K|', 'Cook|Stephanie|S|', 'Xie|Yuxin|Y|', 'Wright|Hazel|H|', 'Soto|Vicente|V|', 'Fallon|Nicholas|N|', 'Giesbrecht|Timo|T|', 'Pantelous|Athanasios|A|', 'Stancak|Andrej|A|']
D000328:Adult D000339:Affect D002540:Cerebral Cortex D002755:Choice Behavior D003657:Decision Making D004569:Electroencephalography D005071:Evoked Potentials D005246:Feedback D030141:Feedback, Psychological D005260:Female D005715:Gambling D064368:Healthy Volunteers D006801:Humans D007858:Learning D008297:Male D013997:Time Factors D055815:Young Adult
Loss aversion Feedback-related negativity Orbitofrontal cortex Decision making Reward and punishment