title: Brain stimulation reveals crucial role of overcoming self-centeredness in self-control.
abstract: Neurobiological models of self-control predominantly focus on the role of prefrontal brain mechanisms involved in emotion regulation and impulse control. We provide evidence for an entirely different neural mechanism that promotes self-control by overcoming bias for the present self, a mechanism previously thought to be mainly important for interpersonal decision-making. In two separate studies, we show that disruptive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the temporo-parietal junction-a brain region involved in overcoming one's self-centered perspective-increases the discounting of delayed and prosocial rewards. This effect of TMS on temporal and social discounting is accompanied by deficits in perspective-taking and does not reflect altered spatial reorienting and number recognition. Our findings substantiate a fundamental commonality between the domains of self-control and social decision-making and highlight a novel aspect of the neurocognitive processes involved in self-control.
authors: Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Soutschek
authors: Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Christian C
authors: CC
authors: Ruff
authors: Department of Economics, Heinreich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors: Tina
authors: T
authors: Strombach
authors: Department of Psychology, Heinreich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors: Tobias
authors: T
authors: Kalenscher
authors: Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Philippe N
authors: PN
authors: Tobler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D008297:Male; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D000068356:Self-Control
keywords: Temporal discounting; altruism; egocentricity bias; present bias; social discounting; theta-burst stimulation