| By: |
Marco Colosio (National Research University Higher School of Economics);
Elena Rybina (National Research University Higher School of Economics);
Anna Shestakova (National Research University Higher School of Economics);
Vasily Klucharev (National Research University Higher School of Economics) |
| Abstract: |
Cognitive dissonance arises as a reaction to conflict appearing in choices
between two equally attractive options. It leads to changes in the
desirability of these options. The chosen option becomes more desirable
whereas the rejected option is devalued. Despite cognitive dissonance being
largely used by social psychologists to explain social conformity and
preference re-evaluation, little is known about the neural mechanisms of such
choice-induced preference changes. In this study, we modulated the activity of
the posterior medial frontal cortex (pMFC), which has been found to be
involved in cognitive dissonance in neuroimaging studies. We influenced the
activity of the pMFC before individual choices using both cathodal and anodal
transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) during a revised version of
Brehm's free-choice paradigm. Our results showed that cathodal tDCS over the
pMFC significantly decreased the typical choice-induced preference change
relative to a sham stimulation. On the contrary, no significant effect of
anodal tDCS was observed. Our findings of the influence cathodal tDCS on
preference re-evaluation highlight the central contribution of the pMFC in
cognitive dissonance and provide evidence that pMFC plays a key role in the
implementation of subsequent post-decision preference change. |
| Keywords: |
cognitive dissonance, social psychology, choice-induced preference changes, medial frontal cortex, transcranial direct current stimulation, cathodal tDCS, anodal tDCS |
| JEL: |
Z |
| Date: |
2018 |
| URL: |
http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hig:wpaper:92psy2018&r=neu |