Summary: Why do individuals with alcohol use disorders often prioritize drinking over meaningful social connections? A new study identifies a specific brain region—the anterior insula—as a key driver of this…
Tag: decision making
Cues Can Hijack Decision Making in Some People
Summary: Some individuals rely heavily on visual and sound cues when making decisions, and this sensitivity can lead to persistent maladaptive choices. When cue–outcome associations shift, these individuals struggle to…
The Hidden Risks You Make Every Day
Summary: Researchers surveyed more than 4,300 people to create the first large-scale inventory of modern real-life risky choices, revealing which decisions people actually struggle with in daily life. The most…
Brain Circuit Found to Shape Risk and Impulse Differently by Sex
Summary: Researchers exploring risky decision-making in rats found that a specific reward-related neural circuit influences impulsivity and risk-taking in complex ways that depend on timing and biological sex. Manipulating the…
Brain Cells That Thrive on Uncertainty Help Us Adapt and Learn
Summary: Scientists have discovered a group of brain cells in the orbitofrontal cortex that become more active when outcomes are uncertain, revealing how the brain adapts and learns from unpredictable…
Most Daily Actions Run on Habit, Not Conscious Choice
Summary: New research shows that nearly two-thirds of daily behaviors are triggered by habit rather than conscious decision-making. Participants often acted automatically in familiar settings, reflecting learned associations. Almost half…
Brain Circuit Model Reveals How Striatum Shapes Everyday Decisions
Summary: Researchers have developed a computational framework that maps how the striosomal compartment of the striatum governs everyday decision-making. By integrating biology, decision theory, and mathematical modeling, the study reveals…
How the Brain Forms Indirect Associations to Guide Complex Decisions
Summary: A new study reveals how the brain can make decisions based not only on direct experiences, but also on indirect associations between seemingly unrelated stimuli. In experiments with mice,…
How Brain Cells Coordinate to Make Complex Decisions
Summary: Every decision begins subtly, as the brain weighs options long before action. Researchers have now shown that, despite individual differences in neuron activity, a shared underlying structure guides the…
Calorie counts on menus and food labels may not help consumers choose healthier foods, new research shows
Knowing the calorie content of foods does not help people understand which foods are healthier, according to a study I recently co-authored in the Journal of Retailing. When study participants…
