Framing decision-making: the role of executive functions, cognitive bias and reward

Abstract

Decision-making is described as a cognitive and emotional process that allows an individual to select a certain action from a multitude of choices and possibilities. This process is commonly seen as a complicated interaction of high-level processes. It is engaged in a wide range of executive operations, concerning which it is possible to hypothesize how the decision-making is located in the continuum between hot and cool processes, involving a multifaced brain areas network. Besides the contextual influences in which decisions are taken this proposal highlights and investigates the relationship between decision-making and cognitive – attentional and perceptual – bias. Moreover, this article takes into exam the association between cost-benefit decisions underpinning executive performance and reward responsiveness. All these factors are considered highly relevant in explaining human behaviour.