Human Susceptibility to Framing Effect in Decisions Can Be Reflected in Scalp Potentials

Abstract

Humans are susceptible to a famous decision bias named framing effect, which refers that people make different decisions in two decision questions that are intrinsically the same but described in different ways. This intriguing phenomenon has been widely studied with behavioral methods, animal models, and fMRI technique. To date, it’s still unknown whether human susceptibility to this intriguing decision bias can be reflected in scalp potentials. We recorded subjects’ scalp potentials when they decided between risky op tion s and sure option s , which were described in positive or negative way. We found that subjects’ brain potential significantly differed between when their choices were consistent with framing effect and when not. More significantly, we found that their susceptibility to framing effect could be reflected in their scalp potentials. Further research in this line can possibly help minimize framing effect bias.