Economic decision-making in the ultimatum game by smokers.
OBJECTIVE
No study to date compared degrees of inequity aversion in economic decision-making in the ultimatum game between non-addictive and addictive reinforcers. The comparison is potentially important in neuroeconomics and reinforcement learning theory of addiction.


METHODS
We compared the degrees of inequity aversion in the ultimatum game between money and cigarettes in habitual smokers.


RESULTS
Smokers avoided inequity in the ultimatum game more dramatically for money than for cigarettes; i.e., there was a "domain effect" in decision-making in the ultimatum game.


CONCLUSIONS
Reward-processing neural activities in the brain for non-addictive and addictive reinforcers may be distinct and the insula activation due to cue-induced craving may conflict with unfair offer-induced insula activation. Future studies in neuroeconomics of addiction should employ game-theoretic decision tasks for elucidating reinforcement learning processes in dopaminergic neural circuits.
Takahashi
Taiki
T
Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. taikitakahashi@gmail.com
D000328:Adult; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003657:Decision Making; D005717:Games, Experimental; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors