Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2005
Journal
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
Volume
17
Issue
12
First Page
1897
Last Page
1906
URL with Digital Object Identifier
10.1162/089892905775008607
Abstract
The anterior medial prefrontal (AMPFC) and retrosplenial (RSC) cortices are active during self-referential decision-making tasks such as when participants appraise traits and abilities, or current affect. Other appraisal tasks requiring an evaluative decision or mental representation, such as theory of mind and perspective-taking tasks, also involve these regions. In many instances, these types of decisions involve a subjective opinion or preference, but also a degree of ambiguity in the decision, rather than a strictly veridical response. However, this ambiguity is generally not controlled for in studies that examine self-referential decision-making. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment with 17 healthy adults, we examined neural processes associated with subjective decision-making with and without an overt self-referential component. The task required subjective decisions about colors - regarding self-preference (internal subjective decision) or color similarity (external subjective decision) under conditions where there was no objectively correct response. Results indicated greater activation in the AMPFC, RSC, and caudate nucleus during internal subjective decision-making. The findings suggest that self-referential processing, rather than subjective judgments among ambiguous response alternatives, accounted for the AMPFC and RSC response. © 2005 Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Notes
This is an author-accepted manuscript.
The publisher's version is available as:
J Cogn Neurosci. 2005 December ; 17(12): 1897–1906. doi:10.1162/089892905775008607