title: Neural signatures of betrayal aversion: an fMRI study of trust.
abstract: Decisions are said to be 'risky' when they are made in environments with uncertainty caused by nature. By contrast, a decision is said to be 'trusting' when its outcome depends on the uncertain decisions of another person. A rapidly expanding literature reveals economically important differences between risky and trusting decisions, and further suggests these differences are due to 'betrayal aversion'. While its neural foundations have not been previously illuminated, the prevailing hypothesis is that betrayal aversion stems from a desire to avoid negative emotions that arise from learning one's trust was betrayed. Here, we provide evidence from an fMRI study that supports this hypothesis. In particular, our data indicate that the anterior insula modulates trusting decisions that involve the possibility of betrayal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University, , 1311 S. 5th St., One Bear Place no. 98003, Waco, TX 76798-8003, USA, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, , 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA, Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science and Department of Economics, George Mason University, , 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA, Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, , Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, Bonn 53127, Germany, Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, , Nachtigallenweg 86, Bonn 53127, Germany.
authors.forename: Jason A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Aimone
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Houser
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012919:Social Behavior; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology*; D035501:Uncertainty; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: betrayal aversion; fMRI; trust