title: Counterfactual comparison modulates fairness consideration in the mini-ultimatum game: an event-related potentials study.
abstract: Existing literature on the mini-ultimatum game indicates that counterfactual comparison between chosen and unchosen alternatives is of great importance for individual's fairness consideration. However, it is still unclear how counterfactual comparison influences the electrophysiological responses to unfair chosen offers. In conjunction with event-related potentials' (ERPs) technique, the current study aimed to explore the issue by employing a modified version of the mini-ultimatum game where a fixed set of two alternatives (unfair offer vs. fair alternative, unfair vs. hyperfair alternative, unfair offer vs. hyperunfair alternative) was presented before the chosen offer. The behavioral results showed that participants were more likely to accept unfair chosen offers when the unchosen alternative was hyperunfair than when the unchosen alternative was fair or hyperfair. The ERPs results showed that the feedback-related negativity (FRN) elicited by unfair chosen offers was insensitive to the type of unchosen alternative when correcting for possible overlap with other components. In contrast, unfair chosen offers elicited larger P300 amplitudes when the unchosen alternative was hyperunfair than when the unchosen alternative was fair or hyperfair. These findings suggest that counterfactual comparison may take effect at later stages of fairness consideration as reflected by the P300.
authors.affiliation: Center for Studies of Psychological Application, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jiafeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Huiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hongyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300 / Q000502:physiology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: FRN; Fairness consideration; P300; counterfactual comparison; mini-ultimatum game