Alexithymia, cumulative feedback, and differential response patterns on the iowa gambling task
Abstract
Although the role of emotional processing is central to contemporary models of risky decision making, to date the role of trait emotional understanding has not been explored experimentally in this context. The current experiment (N=326) explores the role of alexithymia with respect to performance on the standard Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and a version where cumulative financial feedback is obscured. Standard learning on the IGT was observed for those low in alexithymia. Those high in alexithymia learned to avoid disadvantageous decks over the first half of the task. However, over the later trials they showed a change in performance, shifting from advantageous to disadvantageous and back to advantageous decks again (termed an "explore-learn-change-return" strategy). It is argued that this is due to an inability to fully consolidate earlier learning and reduced sensitivity to losses. The absence of cumulative feedback independently resulted in reduced performance.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Individuals with alexithymia make riskier choices on the Iowa Gambling Task than those with low alexithymia levels, especially when less information is available concerning their previous cumulative performance.
“Individuals with alexithymia, for example, have been found to make riskier choices on the Iowa gambling task than those with low alexithymia levels, especially when less information was available concerning their previous cumulative performance (Ferguson et al., 2009).”
From Atypical interoception as a common risk factor for psychopathology: A review (2021) · cites this paper as Ferguson et al., 2009
Cites
Loewenstein, G. F., Weber, E. U., Hsee, C. K., & Welch, N. (2001) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.127.2.267 · Cited by 5,955 · see citing works
Bagby, R. M., Parker, J. D. A., & Taylor, G. J. (1994) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/0022-3999(94)90005-1 · Cited by 5,293 · see citing works
Risk as Analysis and Risk as Feelings: Some Thoughts about Affect, Reason, Risk, and Rationality
Slovic, P., Finucane, M. L., Peters, E., & MacGregor, D. G. (2004) · Risk Analysis · doi:10.1111/j.0272-4332.2004.00433.x · Cited by 3,885 · see citing works
Deciding advantageously before knowing the advantageous strategy
Bechara, A., Damasio, H., Tranel, D., & Damasio, A. R. (1997) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.275.5304.1293 · Cited by 3,547 · see citing works
Gill, J. (2005) · Encyclopedia of Social Measurement · doi:10.1016/b0-12-369398-5/00166-3 · Cited by 3,126 · see citing works
The somatic marker hypothesis and the possible functions of the prefrontal cortex
Damasio, A. R. (1996) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.1996.0125 · Cited by 2,847 · see citing works
The twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia scale—II. Convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity
Bagby, R. M., Taylor, G. J., & Parker, J. D. A. (1994) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/0022-3999(94)90006-x · Cited by 2,431 · see citing works
The somatic marker hypothesis: A neural theory of economic decision
Bechara, A., & Damasio, A. R. (2005) · Games and Economic Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.geb.2004.06.010 · Cited by 1,986 · see citing works
Emotion, cognition, and behavior
Dolan, R. J. (2002) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1076358 · Cited by 1,979 · see citing works
Bechara, A., Tranel, D., & Damásio, H. (2000) · Brain · doi:10.1093/brain/123.11.2189 · Cited by 1,919 · see citing works
(1997) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 1,407 · see citing works
Disorders of Affect Regulation
Taylor, G. J., Bagby, R. M., Parker, J. D. A., & Grotstein, J. S. (1997) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511526831 · Cited by 1,129 · see citing works
The somatic marker hypothesis: A critical evaluation
Dunn, B. D., Dalgleish, T., & Lawrence, A. D. (2006) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2005.07.001 · Cited by 894 · see citing works
The Iowa Gambling Task and the somatic marker hypothesis: some questions and answers
Bechara, A., Damasio, H., Tranel, D., & Damasio, A. R. (2005) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2005.02.002 · Cited by 798 · see citing works
Associations between Major Domains of Personality and Health Behavior
Booth‐Kewley, S., & Vickers, R. R. (1994) · Journal of Personality · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.1994.tb00298.x · Cited by 455 · see citing works
Kooiman, C. G., Spinhoven, P., & Trijsburg, R. W. (2002) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/s0022-3999(02)00348-3 · Cited by 452 · see citing works
Crone, E. A., & van der Molen, M. W. (2004) · Developmental Neuropsychology · doi:10.1207/s15326942dn2503_2 · Cited by 433 · see citing works
Hooper, C. J., Luciana, M., Conklin, H. M., & Yarger, R. S. (2004) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/0012-1649.40.6.1148 · Cited by 412 · see citing works
Impaired self-awareness and theory of mind: An fMRI study of mentalizing in alexithymia
Moriguchi, Y., Ohnishi, T., Lane, R. D., Maeda, M., Mori, T., Nemoto, K., Matsuda, H., & Komaki, G. (2006) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.04.186 · Cited by 397 · see citing works
Alexithymia and the Recognition of Facial Expressions of Emotion
Parker, J. D. A., Taylor, G. J., & Bagby, M. R. (2010) · Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics · doi:10.1159/000288664 · Cited by 277 · see citing works
A Review of the Alexithymia Concept
Lesser, I. M. (1981) · Psychosomatic Medicine · doi:10.1097/00006842-198112000-00009 · Cited by 253 · see citing works
Cognitive and emotional characteristics of alexithymia: a review of neurobiological studies.
Larsen, J., Brand, N., Bermond, B., & Hijman, R. (2003) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/s0022-3999(02)00466-x · Cited by 239 · see citing works
Individual differences in decision-making
Franken, I. H. A., & Muris, P. (2005) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2005.04.004 · Cited by 235 · see citing works
Specific brain processing of facial expressions in people with alexithymia: an H215O‐PET study
Kano, M., Fukudo, S., Gyoba, J., Kamachi, M., Tagawa, M., Mochizuki, H., Itoh, M., Hongo, M., & Yanai, K. (2003) · Brain · doi:10.1093/brain/awg131 · Cited by 232 · see citing works
Impulsivity and Decision Making
Zermatten, A., der Linden, M. V., d’Acremont, M., Jermann, F., & Bechara, A. (2005) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/01.nmd.0000180777.41295.65 · Cited by 216 · see citing works
Arntz, A., Rauner, M., & Van den Hout, M. (1995) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/0005-7967(95)00032-s · Cited by 208 · see citing works
Schmitt, W. A., Brinkley, C. A., & Newman, J. P. (1999) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037//0021-843x.108.3.538 · Cited by 178 · see citing works
Mantani, T., Okamoto, Y., Shirao, N., Okada, G., & Yamawaki, S. (2005) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.01.047 · Cited by 165 · see citing works
Schmitt, W. A., Brinkley, C. A., & Newman, J. P. (1999) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-843x.108.3.538 · Cited by 140 · see citing works
Vermeulen, N., Luminet, O., & Corneille, O. (2006) · Cognition & Emotion · doi:10.1080/02699930500304654 · Cited by 139 · see citing works
Complex decision-making in early childhood
Garon, N., & Moore, C. L. (2004) · Brain and Cognition · doi:10.1016/s0278-2626(03)00272-0 · Cited by 128 · see citing works
Fernie, G., & Tunney, R. J. (2005) · Brain and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.bandc.2005.09.011 · Cited by 118 · see citing works
Parker, P. D., Prkachin, K. M., & Prkachin, G. C. (2005) · Journal of Personality · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2005.00339.x · Cited by 113 · see citing works
Alexithymia Assessment and Relations with Dimensions of Personality
Zimmermann, G., Rossier, J., de Stadelhofen, F. M., & Gaillard, F. (2005) · European Journal of Psychological Assessment · doi:10.1027/1015-5759.21.1.23 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Alexithymia in Young Adulthood: A Risk Factor for Pathological Gambling
Parker, J. D. A., Wood, L. M., Bond, B. J., & Shaughnessy, P. A. (2004) · Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics · doi:10.1159/000082027 · Cited by 93 · see citing works
Application of the somatic marker hypothesis to individual differences in decision making
Suzuki, A., Hirota, A., Takasawa, N., & Shigemasu, K. (2003) · Biological Psychology · doi:10.1016/s0301-0511(03)00093-0 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Feelings you can't imagine: towards a cognitive neuroscience of alexithymia
Aleman, A. (2005) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2005.10.002 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Cazenave, N., Scanff, C. L., & Woodman, T. (2007) · Anxiety Stress & Coping · doi:10.1080/10615800701330176 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Measurement and validation of the alexithymia construct
Bagby, M. R., & Taylor, G. J. (1997) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511526831.006 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Yechiam, E., Stout, J., Busemeyer, J., Rock, S. L., & Finn, P. (2005) · Journal of Behavioral Decision Making · doi:10.1002/bdm.487 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Hampson, S. E., Andrews, J. A., Barckley, M., Lichtenstein, E., & Lee, M. E. (2006) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/0278-6133.25.4.530 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Affect Regulation in Alexithymia
Troisi, A., Belsanti, S., BUCCI, A. R., MOSCO, C., SINTI, F., & Verucci, M. (2000) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/00005053-200001000-00003 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Dissociation of rated emotional valence and Stroop interference in observer-rated alexithymia
Mueller, J., Alpers, G. W., & Reim, N. (2006) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2006.02.017 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
The emotional reasoning heuristic in children
Muris, P., Merckelbach, H. L. G. J., & van Spauwen, I. (2003) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/s0005-7967(02)00005-0 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Lundh, L., & Broman, J. (2006) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2005.11.026 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Kovalchik, S. A., & Allman, J. M. (2006) · Cognition & Emotion · doi:10.1080/02699930500371166 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Atypical interoception as a common risk factor for psychopathology: A review
Brewer, R., Murphy, J., & Bird, G. (2021) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.036 · Cited by 180 · see citing works
Sutherland, M. T., Carroll, A. J., Salmeron, B. J., Ross, T. J., & Stein, E. A. (2013) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00213-013-3018-8 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Hobson, H., Hogeveen, J., Brewer, R., Catmur, C., Gordon, B., Krueger, F., Chau, A., Bird, G., & Grafman, J. (2018) · Neuropsychologia · doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.12.037 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Alexithymia and Empathy Predict Changes in Autonomic Arousal During Affective Stimulation
Bogdanov, V. B., Bogdanova, O. V., Gorlov, D. S., Gorgo, Y. P., Dirckx, J. J. J., Makarchuk, M. Y., Schoenen, J., & Critchley, H. (2013) · Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology · doi:10.1097/wnn.0000000000000002 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Now or not-now? The influence of alexithymia on intertemporal decision-making
Scarpazza, C., Sellitto, M., & di Pellegrino, G. (2017) · Brain and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.bandc.2017.03.001 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
- Authors
- Ferguson, E., Bibby, P. A., Rosamond, S., O'Grady, C., Parcell, A., Amos, C., McCutcheon, C., & O'Carroll, R.
- Affiliations
- University of Nottingham (GB)
- University of Stirling (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Ferguson, Eamonn
- Venue
- Journal of Personality
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2009-04-22
- Volume
- 77
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 883-902
- ISSN
- 0022-3506 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-6494
- OpenAlex
- W2115289784
- Cited by
- 36
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 2.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Stirling Online Research Repository (University of Stirling) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › General Decision Sciences › Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
- Keywords
- alexithymia, Iowa Gambling Task, risky decision making, emotional processing, emotional understanding, learning consolidation, loss sensitivity, strategic change
- MeSH terms
- Affective Symptoms, Female, Gambling, Humans, Individuality, Learning, Male, Psychological Tests, Feedback, Psychological, Young Adult
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
