Neural computations on social decision making : theory and experimental validations

我们进行研究的最终目的是阐明神经计算在社会决策中的作用。虽然我们朝着这个目标取得了几项成就，但我们在这里总结了一项最核心的研究结果。通过人体功能磁共振实验，结合所谓的基于模型的分析，我们比较了两种情况：当被试为了自己的自我奖励而做出基于价值的决策时，当被试预测另一个人会做出什么基于价值的决策时，当另一个人处于同样的情况下。我们发现，腹内侧额叶皮质在模拟对方基于价值的决策过程中起着核心作用。

We conducted studies with an ultimate aim of elucidating neural computations for social decision making. While we made several achievements towards the aim, here we summarize the result of a most central study. Using human fMRI experiment, combined with so-called model-based analysis, we investigated brain functions for value-based decision making, comparing two situations ; when the subject makes value-based decisions for their self reward and when the subjects predicts what value-based decision another person would make, when the other person is in the same situation for themselves. We found that the ventromedial frontal cortex plays a central role in simulating the other's value-based decision making process.