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Pan J, Zhu C, Liu X, Wang Y, Li J. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Modulates the Effect of Unreasonable Request in the Context of Peer Punishment. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:255. [PMID: 31417380 PMCID: PMC6682667 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Making a request is a common occurrence during social interactions. In most social contexts, requesters may impose punishments and many behavioral studies have focused on the differential effects of reasonable and unreasonable requests during such interactions. However, few studies have explored whether reasonable or unreasonable requests involve differential neurocognitive mechanisms. In this study, we used transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to investigate the mechanistic effects of request within the context of peer punishment. We used a modified ultimatum game (UG) task as well as a modified dictator game (DG) task. Both unreasonable and reasonable requests induced the proposer to increase their monetary offer for both tasks. Moreover, in the modified UG task, cathodal tDCS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFC) significantly decreased the effect of an unreasonable request when compared to sham stimulation. Cathodal stimulation did not impact the effect of a reasonable request on the modified UG task. For the modified DG task, no tDCS effect for either an unreasonable or reasonable request was observed. These findings suggest that rDLPFC was only involved in decision-making processes during unreasonable requests when there was an opportunity for peer punishment. Moreover, our results indicate that reasonable and unreasonable requests involve differential neurocognitive mechanisms in the context of possible peer punishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Pan
- China Academy of Corporate Governance, Business School, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- School of Economics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chengkang Zhu
- China Academy of Corporate Governance, Business School, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- School of Economics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- China Academy of Corporate Governance, Business School, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- Reinhard Selten Laboratory, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yiwen Wang
- China Center of Social Trust Research (CCSTR), Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jianbiao Li
- School of Economics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Reinhard Selten Laboratory, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- Department of Economic and Management, Nankai University Binhai College, Tianjin, China
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Xiong G, Li X, Dong Z, Cai S, Huang J, Li Q. Modulating Activity in the Prefrontal Cortex Changes Intertemporal Choice for Loss: A Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Study. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:167. [PMID: 31178709 PMCID: PMC6543463 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Intertemporal choice refers to decisions involving tradeoffs between costs and benefits occurring at different times. Studies have found that weighting the time and benefits during decision-making involves a complex neural network that includes the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). However, in contrast to literature regarding intertemporal choice for gains, studies have not provided causal evidence that the DLPFC is involved in intertemporal choice for losses. We examined whether bifrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied over the right and left prefrontal cortex can alter the balance of intertemporal preference in the loss condition. A total of 60 participants performed delay discounting tasks for losses while receiving either right anodal/left cathodal, left anodal/right cathodal, or sham stimulation. The results showed that participants tended to choose larger delayed losses after receiving left anodal/right cathodal tDCS. Left anodal/right cathodal tDCS significantly decreased the discounting rate compared with the sham stimulation. These findings confirm that DLPFC activity is critical during intertemporal decision-making for losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanxing Xiong
- School of Economics and Management, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Lab for Behavioral Economic Science & Technology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xi Li
- School of Economics and Management, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Lab for Behavioral Economic Science & Technology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Dong
- School of Economics and Management, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Lab for Behavioral Economic Science & Technology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shenggang Cai
- School of Economics and Management, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Lab for Behavioral Economic Science & Technology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianye Huang
- School of Economics and Management, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Lab for Behavioral Economic Science & Technology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qian Li
- School of Economics and Management, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Lab for Behavioral Economic Science & Technology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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