Neural Activity Reveals Preferences Without Choices
47 Pages Posted: 1 Aug 2013 Last revised: 26 Feb 2021
Date Written: August 2013
Abstract
We investigate the feasibility of inferring the choices people would make (if given the opportunity) based on their neural responses to the pertinent prospects when they are not engaged in actual decision making. The ability to make such inferences is of potential value when choice data are unavailable, or limited in ways that render standard methods of estimating choice mappings problematic. We formulate prediction models relating choices to "non-choice" neural responses and use them to predict out-of-sample choices for new items and for new groups of individuals. The predictions are sufficiently accurate to establish the feasibility of our approach.
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?
