title: Reward and decision processes in the brains of humans and nonhuman primates.
abstract: Choice behavior requires weighing multiple decision variables, such as utility, uncertainty, delay, or effort, that combine to define a subjective value for each considered option or course of action. This capacity is based on prior learning about potential rewards (and punishments) that result from prior actions. When made in a social context, decisions can involve strategic thinking about the intentions of others and about the impact of others' behavior on one's own outcome. Valuation is also influenced by different emotions that serve to adaptively regulate our choices in order to, for example, stay away from excessively risky gambles, prevent future regrets, or avoid personal rejection or conflicts. Drawing on economic theory and on advances in the study of neuronal mechanisms, we review relevant recent experiments in nonhuman primates and clinical observations made in neurologically impaired patients suffering from impaired decision-making capacities.
authors.affiliation: Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 69675 Bron, France; Département de Biologie Humaine, Université Lyon 1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sirigu
authors.affiliation: Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 69675 Bron, France; Département de Biologie Humaine, Université Lyon 1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France.
authors.forename: Jean-René
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Duhamel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D011323:Primates; D012201:Reward
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine
keywords: decision making; emotion; neuroeconomics; social cognition