Neural correlates, computation and behavioural impact of decision confidence

A prominent proposal is that confidence is based on the distance between the measurement and the decision boundary, without any role for sensory uncertainty.

“a prominent proposal is that confidence is based on the distance between the measurement and the decision boundary, without any role for sensory uncertainty [10, 11, 39].”

Neurons in rodent OFC show statistical signatures of confidence in an odor discrimination task.

“In a seminal study, Kepecs and colleagues found that neurons in rodent OFC showed statistical signatures of confidence in an odor discrimination task (Kepecs et al. 2008).”

Postdecisional firing rates of neurons in prefrontal cortex and dopaminergic midbrain covary with choice correctness before explicit feedback is given.

“In animal models, postdecisional firing rates of neurons in prefrontal cortex and dopaminergic midbrain have also been shown to covary with choice correctness before explicit feedback is given (Kepecs et al. 2008, Middlebrooks & Sommer 2012, Tsujimoto et al. 2010).”

Rats are preferred for behavioral, memory, and cognitive research due to their physiological similarities to humans and their high learning capacity.

“Rats are preferred for behavioral, memory, and cognitive research due to their physiological similarities to humans and their high learning capacity [17–20].”

In contrast to the TPJ, the vmPFC and ventral striatum are routinely found to be involved in nonsocial types of decision making such as reward-seeking behavior, intertemporal decision making, risk taking, and purchasing behavior.

“However, in contrast to the TPJ, these latter areas are routinely found to be involved in nonsocial types of decision making such as reward-seeking behavior, intertemporal decision making, risk taking, and purchasing behavior (Kable and Glimcher, 2007;Kepecs et al., 2008;Knutson et al., 2007;Kuhnen and Knutson, 2005;Padoa-Schioppa and Assad, 2006;Plassmann et al., 2007;Rangel and Hare, 2010;Samej”

Previous studies have reported neural correlates of decision confidence in brain regions associated with a value representation, for example firing rates in rat orbitofrontal cortex and fMRI signal in human vmPFC show graded changes as perceptual decisions become more difficult.

“Previous studies have reported neural correlates of decision confidence in brain regions associated with a value representation. For example, firing rates in rat orbitofrontal cortex7 and fMRI signal in human vmPFC8 show graded changes as perceptual decisions become more difficult.”

Choice confidence emerges from the dynamics of noisy accumulators in the race model, leading to dual effects of difference in value and reaction time on confidence.

“Choice confidence can be seen to emerge from the dynamics of noisy accumulators in the race model7,21, leading to dual effects of difference in value and reaction time on confidence27.”

Neural responses to uncertainty or surprise have been reported in multiple structures and linked with variables such as arousal, anxiety, risk preference, or global learning rates.

“Neural responses to uncertainty or surprise have been reported in multiple structures (den Ouden et al., 2010; Fiorillo et al., 2003; Kepecs et al., 2008; McCoy and Platt, 2005; O'Neill and Schultz, 2010; Preuschoff et al., 2006; Preuschoff et al., 2008; Schultz et al., 2008; So and Stuphorn, 2012; Tobler et al., 2009) and have been linked with variables such as arousal, anxiety, risk preference,”

Previous studies have relied on an object-level framework where confidence is equated with the information that governs the choice process.

“Previous studies have relied on an object-level framework, where confidence is equated with the information that governs the choice process [ 30 – 32 ].”