Bechara et al. (2000) (ERQ localization)

Question 1

aim

Answer 1

to see if damage to vmPFC affects the ability to learn to adjust thinking based on experience

Question 2

participants

Answer 2

8 patients with damage to their vmPFC
17 healthy controls

Question 3

method

Answer 3

Iowa Gambling task:
4 decks of cards, participants draw from any one, sometimes winning and sometimes losing money.
- 2 decks with high rewards but high penalties
- 2 decks with smaller rewards and smaller penalties
= long run better to choose low rewards

Question 4

results

Answer 4

healthy controls slowly learned to avoid the high rewards for long-term benefit whereas vmPFC damage people did not, continuing to choose higher rewards

Question 5

conclusion

Answer 5

damage to vmPFC might prevent a person from learning from mistakes and to adjust their decision making

Question 6

key terms

Answer 6

vmPFC
dual process of thinking and decision making