title: Neural signatures of intransitive preferences.
abstract: It is often assumed that decisions are made by rank-ordering and thus comparing the available choice options based on their subjective values. Rank-ordering requires that the alternatives' subjective values are mentally represented at least on an ordinal scale. Because one alternative cannot be at the same time better and worse than another alternative, choices should satisfy transitivity (if alternative A is preferred over B, and B is preferred over C, A should be preferred over C). Yet, individuals often demonstrate striking violations of transitivity (preferring C over A). We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to study the neural correlates of intransitive choices between gambles varying in magnitude and probability of financial gains. Behavioral intransitivities were common. They occurred because participants did not evaluate the gambles independently, but in comparison with the alternative gamble presented. Neural value signals in prefrontal and parietal cortex were not ordinal-scaled and transitive, but reflected fluctuations in the gambles' local, pairing-dependent preference-ranks. Detailed behavioral analysis of gamble preferences showed that, depending on the difference in the offered gambles' attributes, participants gave variable priority to magnitude or probability and thus shifted between preferring richer or safer gambles. The variable, context-dependent priority given to magnitude and probability was tracked by insula (magnitude) and posterior cingulate (probability). Their activation-balance may reflect the individual decision rules leading to intransitivities. Thus, the phenomenon of intransitivity is reflected in the organization of the neural systems involved in risky decision-making.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kalenscher
authors.forename: Philippe N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Tobler
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huijbers
authors.forename: Sander M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Daselaar
authors.forename: Cyriel M A
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pennartz
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2007 Nov 14;27(46):12500-5
references.pmid: 18003828
references.citation: Biol Lett. 2007 Aug 22;3(4):365-7
references.pmid: 17535792
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 2004 Aug;7(8):887-93
references.pmid: 15235607
references.citation: Nat Rev Neurosci. 2008 Feb;9(2):148-58
references.pmid: 18209732
references.citation: Eur J Neurosci. 2008 May;27(9):2213-8
references.pmid: 18445214
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 2008 Jan;11(1):95-102
references.pmid: 18066060
references.citation: Nat Rev Neurosci. 2008 Jul;9(7):545-56
references.pmid: 18545266
references.citation: Nature. 2007 Jun 28;447(7148):1075-80
references.pmid: 17546027
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 1999 Feb;2(2):176-85
references.pmid: 10195203
references.citation: Nature. 2008 May 15;453(7193):406-9
references.pmid: 18418380
references.citation: Curr Biol. 2005 Apr 12;15(7):594-602
references.pmid: 15823531
references.citation: Science. 2004 Oct 15;306(5695):503-7
references.pmid: 15486304
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2006 Jun 14;26(24):6469-72
references.pmid: 16775134
references.citation: J Exp Anal Behav. 1972 Nov;18(3):389-401
references.pmid: 16811633
references.citation: Science. 2004 Oct 15;306(5695):443-7
references.pmid: 15486290
references.citation: Neuron. 2004 Oct 14;44(2):365-78
references.pmid: 15473973
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2008 May 28;28(22):5623-30
references.pmid: 18509023
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2001 Jan;13(1):91-100
references.pmid: 11133312
references.citation: J Exp Anal Behav. 1961 Jul;4:267-72
references.pmid: 13713775
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2009 Mar 25;29(12):3833-42
references.pmid: 19321780
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2007 Sep 12;27(37):9984-8
references.pmid: 17855612
references.citation: J Exp Anal Behav. 1970 Mar;13(2):243-66
references.pmid: 16811440
references.citation: Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2008 Dec;8(4):402-17
references.pmid: 19033238
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2009 Oct 15;48(1):249-57
references.pmid: 19560546
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 2005 Sep;8(9):1220-7
references.pmid: 16116449
references.citation: Neuron. 2009 Jun 11;62(5):733-43
references.pmid: 19524531
references.citation: Nature. 1999 Apr 22;398(6729):704-8
references.pmid: 10227292
references.citation: Neuron. 2009 May 28;62(4):593-602
references.pmid: 19477159
references.citation: Hum Brain Mapp. 2010 Mar;31(3):410-23
references.pmid: 19777556
references.citation: Science. 2004 May 21;304(5674):1167-70
references.pmid: 15155951
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 2007 Dec;10(12):1625-33
references.pmid: 17982449
references.citation: Neuron. 2002 Oct 10;36(2):265-84
references.pmid: 12383781
references.citation: Science. 1998 May 1;280(5364):747-9
references.pmid: 9563953
references.citation: Science. 2009 May 1;324(5927):646-8
references.pmid: 19407204
references.citation: Psychol Rev. 2006 Apr;113(2):409-32
references.pmid: 16637767
references.citation: J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 1983 Oct;9(4):676-96
references.pmid: 6227682
references.citation: Soc Neurosci. 2009;4(4):347-58
references.pmid: 19466680
references.citation: Neuron. 2008 Jul 10;59(1):161-72
references.pmid: 18614037
references.citation: Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Oct 15;58(8):597-604
references.pmid: 16095567
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2009 Feb 1;44(3):1163-70
references.pmid: 18992349
references.citation: Annu Rev Neurosci. 2001;24:167-202
references.pmid: 11283309
references.citation: Neuron. 2006 Mar 2;49(5):765-75
references.pmid: 16504951
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Sep 6;102(36):12950-5
references.pmid: 16150703
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Apr 28;106(17):7185-90
references.pmid: 19369207
references.citation: J Neurophysiol. 2007 Feb;97(2):1621-32
references.pmid: 17122317
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2009 Jan 15;44(2):600-9
references.pmid: 18804540
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2008 Feb 1;39(3):1472-84
references.pmid: 18042401
references.citation: J Cogn Neurosci. 2006 Nov;18(11):1924-36
references.pmid: 17069482
references.citation: Nature. 2006 May 11;441(7090):223-6
references.pmid: 16633341
references.citation: Prog Neurobiol. 2008 Mar;84(3):284-315
references.pmid: 18207301
references.citation: Science. 2004 Jun 18;304(5678):1782-7
references.pmid: 15205529
references.citation: Exp Brain Res. 2007 Jun;179(4):643-53
references.pmid: 17216152
references.citation: Nature. 1999 Jul 15;400(6741):233-8
references.pmid: 10421364
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2010 Apr 21;30(16):5498-507
references.pmid: 20410103
references.citation: Science. 1999 Jun 18;284(5422):1979-81
references.pmid: 10373114
references.citation: Nat Rev Neurosci. 2002 Aug;3(8):655-66
references.pmid: 12154366
references.citation: Front Behav Neurosci. 2009 Oct 30;3:43
references.pmid: 19893764
references.citation: Eur J Neurosci. 2003 Nov;18(9):2627-37
references.pmid: 14622165
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 2005 Sep;8(9):1255-62
references.pmid: 16116457
references.citation: Curr Opin Neurobiol. 1997 Apr;7(2):198-208
references.pmid: 9142755
references.citation: Neuron. 2002 Oct 10;36(2):309-22
references.pmid: 12383784