title: Evidence for surprise minimization over value maximization in choice behavior.
abstract: Classical economic models are predicated on the idea that the ultimate aim of choice is to maximize utility or reward. In contrast, an alternative perspective highlights the fact that adaptive behavior requires agents' to model their environment and minimize surprise about the states they frequent. We propose that choice behavior can be more accurately accounted for by surprise minimization compared to reward or utility maximization alone. Minimizing surprise makes a prediction at variance with expected utility models; namely, that in addition to attaining valuable states, agents attempt to maximize the entropy over outcomes and thus 'keep their options open'. We tested this prediction using a simple binary choice paradigm and show that human decision-making is better explained by surprise minimization compared to utility maximization. Furthermore, we replicated this entropy-seeking behavior in a control task with no explicit utilities. These findings highlight a limitation of purely economic motivations in explaining choice behavior and instead emphasize the importance of belief-based motivations.
authors.affiliation: The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL, 12 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.|Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.|Neuroscience Institute, Christian-Doppler-Klinik, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.|Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London WC1B 5EH, UK.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schwartenbeck
authors.affiliation: The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL, 12 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.|Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London WC1B 5EH, UK.
authors.forename: Thomas H B
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: FitzGerald
authors.affiliation: The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL, 12 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.|Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London WC1B 5EH, UK.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mathys
authors.affiliation: The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL, 12 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.|Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London WC1B 5EH, UK.
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.|Neuroscience Institute, Christian-Doppler-Klinik, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kronbichler
authors.affiliation: The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL, 12 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Friston
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D018803:Models, Economic; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012201:Reward; D055815:Young Adult