We measured EEG of human subjects during rest and free-choice paradigm. Importantly, in Computer trials, items were programmed and selected with the same criteria used for Self-difficult trials. Neuroscience can involve research from many branches of science including those involving neurology, brain science, neurobiology, psychology, computer science, artificial intelligence, statistics, prosthetics, neuroimaging, engineering, medicine, physics, mathematics, pharmacology, electrophysiology, biology, robotics and technology. The Self-difficult trials (associated with stronger cognitive dissonance) evoked a significantly larger negative frontocentral deflection at a latency of 46 ms than the Self-easy trials. However, the psychological and neural mechanisms of this fundamental property remain largely unknown. No eLetters have been published for this article. SoA analysis was subjected to a two-way (factor trial type: Self-difficult, Self-easy, Computer trials, and Post-ex choice; factor choice: selected vs rejected) repeated-measures within-subject ANOVA. Because strong cognitive dissonance should occur during difficult decisions (Self-difficult trials and Post-ex choice), we predicted that magnitude of the SoA should be enhanced as a function of choice difficulty. The results of the study have been published in the paper ‘Open Access Neural Mechanisms of Cognitive Dissonance (Revised): an EEG Study’ in The Journal of Neuroscience. 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The analysis of RTs showed that Self-difficult trials required a longer RT than did Self-easy trials (t(41) = 5.997, p < 0.001) and Post-ex choice trials (t(41) = 5.995, p < 0.001), confirming further the difference in choice difficulty between difficult choices and control conditions. We found a significant negative correlation (r = −0.38, p = 0.029) between LRTC scaling exponents (8–13 Hz) at the frontal ROI (see Materials and Methods) and the SoA for rejected items in Self-difficult trials. We went a step further and demonstrated that LRTCs at rest are also associated with more complex cognitive processes, such as cognitive dissonance-induced preference changes, or SoA effects. NeuroscienceNews, 17 May 2017. LRTCs of alpha oscillations were estimated with detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) (Peng et al., 1995; Kantelhardt et al., 2001). This transient activity appeared to be in correlation with the behavioural effects of cognitive dissonance and resting-state brain activity. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3209-16.2017. Thus, the SoA-related reconfiguration of neuronal value representations might require efficient rerouting of synaptic inputs and their consecutive stabilization: processes best implemented by the delicate balance of excitation and inhibition within specialized neural microcircuitry (Rolls et al., 2008). Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Marco Colosio. Choice-induced preference changes are reflected in the choice-related activity of the pMFC as part of the general performance-monitoring circuitry. Dissonance is experienced as an unpleasant tension-like state and needs to be reduced. JNeurosci Online ISSN: 1529-2401. To examine ERN, in the Eriksen Flanker task, we calculated the difference between the average response-locked ERPs in trials with both incorrect responses and correct responses. Sign up to receive our recent neuroscience headlines and summaries sent to your email once a day, totally free. For the quantification of spontaneous oscillatory dynamics, we used LRTC, which captures neuronal activity at different time scales. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to confirm the identity of choice-related activity during the free-choice paradigm with ERN (Miltner et al., 1997; Gehring and Willoughby, 2002; Holroyd and Coles, 2002; Nieuwenhuis et al., 2004; Nieuwenhuis et al., 2007). Each string consisted of a central element (the target) and 3 flankers. Furthermore, the amplitude of the evoked response is correlated with the reevaluation of the alternatives. In Preference task II, participants rated the same food items again. Importantly, as all ERPs were response-locked to the motor responses, the difference in RTs was controlled for between Self-difficult and Self-easy trials. We also compared response-locked ERPs in incorrect responses to response-locked ERPs in correct responses in the Eriksen Flanker task. At the end of the experiment, we randomly selected one of the items that participants had selected during Self-difficult trials or Post-ex choice trials as an additional reward for the participants. “Neural mechanisms of cognitive dissonance (revised): An EEG study” by Marco Colosio, Anna Shestakova, Vadim V. Nikulin, Evgeny Blagovechtchenski and Vasily Klucharev in Journal of Neuroscience. We correlated the individual magnitude of SoA with the LRTC scaling exponents that described dynamics of alpha oscillations recorded during rest at the beginning of the experiment. Right, Topographical map for voltage distribution of the difference wave and LORETA solutions (scale range: 0–0.005 μA/mm2) within 36 ms time window. ERN is generated in the pMFC (Holroyd and Coles, 2002; Holroyd et al., 2004; Ridderinkhof et al., 2004; Debener et al., 2005) and has been associated with processing errors (Holroyd et al., 2003), monitoring of action outcomes (Luu et al., 2004), and behavioral adjustments (Gehring et al., 2011). C, A scatter-plot showing a relation between the LRTC scaling exponents (FC2 electrode) and the amplitude of the difference wave (Self-difficult − Self-easy trials) at FCz electrode. Participants had 5 s to make their choice or press the keyboard button corresponding to the computer's choice. We also found a link between individual neural dynamics (long-range temporal correlations— LRTC) of the fronto-central cortices during rest and follow-up neural and behavioral effects of cognitive dissonance. As expected, LORETA analysis highlighted a prominent activation of the pMFC, with the strongest activity in the BA6 (for x, y, z and BA coordinates, see Table 1); this finding is similar to previous studies that investigated the ERN generator in the Eriksen Flanker task (Herrmann et al., 2004). We analyzed response-locked activity in both tasks. We found a main effect of trial type (F(3,123) = 57.488, p < 0.001) and choice (F(1,41) = 45.43, p < 0.001). Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close, ‘Instigator’ Gene Associated With Alzheimer’s Disease Discovered, Traumatic Brain Injuries Can Increase Risk of Stroke for up to Five Years, Light Up Your Mind: A Novel Light-Based Treatment for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Betaine Supplement Treats Schizophrenia in Mice, Mirror, Mirror…Viewing Your Own Face, Even Subconsciously, Is Rewarding, Social Media ‘Likes’ Change the Way We Feel About Our Memories, AI Is Increasingly Being Used to Identify Emotions, Here’s What’s at Stake. However, they faced difficulties when the products were similarly attractive. During Preference task I, participants rated food items presented for 3 s on the screen. The LORETA time window's parameters matched those of the Flanker task (±11 ms around the grand-averaged maximum peak for Self-difficult trials, Self-easy trials, and difference waves). We measured EEG of human subjects during rest and free-choice paradigm. Together, our electrophysiological results suggest that pMFC activity might play a critical role in modulating postdecisional preference changes occurring when difficult decisions between similarly attractive options are faced. Cognitive dissonance is thought to reveal a human's internal desire for consistency. Cognitive neuroscience began to integrate the newly laid theoretical ground in cognitive science, that emerged between the 1950s and 1960s, with approaches in experimental psychology, neuropsychology, and neuroscience. Original Research: Full open access research for “Neural mechanisms of cognitive dissonance (revised): An EEG study” by Marco Colosio, Anna Shestakova, Vadim V. Nikulin, Evgeny Blagovechtchenski and Vasily Klucharev in Journal of Neuroscience. [/cbtab][cbtab title=”APA”]HSE (2017, May 17). and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony -> dissonance. The data were inspected for artifacts (amplitudes exceeding ±100 μV), and <10% of all trials in each condition and with each participant were rejected. At the beginning of each trial, participants were informed about the trial type (Self-trial or Computer trial). A choice between two similarly valued alternatives creates psychological tension (cognitive dissonance) that is reduced by a postdecisional reevaluation of the alternatives. This fMRI study explored the neural substrates of cognitive dissonance during dissonance ‘induction’. Thus, LRTCs do not indicate the connectivity of the brain region but rather its functional state. The photos were projected onto a screen, with a visual angle of 4.772° vertically and 7.62° horizontally. Robotics articles will cover robotics research press releases. Psychologists call this hint of distress cognitive dissonance, wherein a psychic tension must be resolved. In Self-trials, participants were instructed to choose one food item that they preferred. The key behind dissonance is inconsistency.When you hold two thoughts that are inconsistent with one another, you’ve got yourself a case of cognitive dissonance.. See below for an example. Here, we further studied the role of the pMFC in cognitive dissonance and preference change. Following a previously established practice, we extracted alpha oscillations in low 8–10 Hz and high 10–12 Hz frequency bands as well as in a broad 8–13 Hz range. Cognitive dissonance is a feeling of discomfort that a person can experience when they hold two contradicting beliefs. As expected, we found no significant difference in the ERP peak amplitude (FCz) between Self-easy trials and Computer trials (t(41) = −0.452, p = 0.654) and a significant difference between Self-difficult trials and Self-easy trials (t(41) = −2.190, p = 0.034). The amplitude of the alpha oscillations recorded during rest did not correlate with the evoked responses (Fig. Figure 5B shows a topography of this correlation. A previous neuroimaging study (Izuma et al., 2010) showed the neural signature of choice-induced preference change during the rerating of options, the paradigm which was also used in our study. The significant RT slowdown in Computer trials can be explained by a cognitive conflict occurring when the computer's selections mismatched the participants' preferences (revealed in Post-ex choice trials). Furthermore, an important role of the pMFC in cognitive dissonance and choice-induced preference changes (Izuma et al., 2010) suggests that its ongoing, spontaneous (resting state) activity may affect follow-up neural and behavioral effects of cognitive dissonance. A t test for the mean ERP amplitude (Self-difficult trials vs Self-easy trials, FCz, time window = 36 ms) revealed a significant effect of cognitive dissonance: t(41) = −2.190, p = 0.032. Qizilbash, M. (1994).Corruption, Temptation and Guilt: Moral Character in Economic Theory. Nevertheless, we performed a t test of the ERP peak amplitude (Self-difficult trials vs Computer choice trials, FCz) that confirmed a significant effect of cognitive dissonance: t(41) = −2.226, p = 0.032. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first EEG study to directly investigate neural correlates of cognitive dissonance during the decisional process. Specifically, we hypothesized that LRTC and the amplitude of frontal alpha oscillations would correlate with the behavioral and electrophysiological indices of dissonance-induced preference change. Then, when participants are asked to rate the same items again, it is more likely that their rating of a chosen item will increase and their rating of a rejected item will decrease on average. It suggests that inconsistencies among cognitions (i.e., knowledge, opinion, or belief about the environment, oneself, or one’s behavior) generate an uncomfortable motivating feeling (i.e., the cognitive dissonance state). Read the latest neurotech news articles below. EEG signals were referenced to arithmetically link mastoids. In case of no answer, a written message, “Please, respond faster,” appeared at the center of the screen. A previous study showed that the reminder cue affected SoA, but the SoA effect was still significant for the “nonreminded” control group (see Salti et al., 2014, who formally test the effect of this explicit feedback). At the beginning of the study, subjects sat comfortably in a chair for 10 min with their eyes open while a resting-state recording was performed. This study also indicated that decisions associated with higher levels of cognitive dissonance elicited a fast frontal electrophysiological signal that peaked ~60 ms after the difficult decision. Eye movements were recorded with Ag/AgCl electrodes placed at both lateral canthi and below the left eye. Therefore, Izuma (2013) concluded that the activity of the pMFC reflects internal consistency between one's opinions and behaviors and associated cognitive dissonance with the processes underlying changes in opinions and behaviors. As the DLPFC has been shown to be implicated in cognitive control (Miller and Cohen, 2001), it was suggested that the DLPFC is not directly involved in cognitive inconsistency reduction; rather, its activity is believed to be related to a more general cognitive control process (Izuma et al., 2015) and the implementation of performance adjustment (Ridderinkhof et al., 2004). Importantly, our ERP study suggests that an earlier neural process might also be involved in the subsequent preference changes for rejected items. During Preference task II, participants had to rate the same set of food items again. Science articles can cover neuroscience, psychology, AI, robotics, neurology, brain cancer, mental health, machine learning, autism, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, brain research, depression and other topics related to cognitive sciences. Black lines indicate p < 0.001. Importantly, LRTCs are indeed most pronounced when excitation and inhibition are balanced (Poil et al., 2012). In psychology, cognitive dissonance is viewed as mental stress (discomfort) experienced by a person who simultaneously holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values (i.e., when performing an action that contradicts one of those beliefs, ideas, or values; or when confronted with new information that contradicts one of those beliefs, ideas, and values). 3B) of the negative frontocentral deflection in Self-difficult trials closely resemble ERN (for a review of ERN′s characteristics, see Gehring et al., 2011). If at the same time, you realize that you believe that smoking is unhealthy and that you regularly smoke, that would be inconsistent. A significance of the differences between the conditions was assessed with permutation tests based on cluster statistics (Maris and Oostenveld, 2007). We assumed that a longer RT is associated with a higher level of conflict. His theory of cognitive dissonance is especially relevant to social psychology, especially in the areas of motivation and group dynamics. III. The researchers therefore uncovered a link between the individual index of self-organization in the frontal cortices during rest and the subsequent neural and behavioural effects of cognitive dissonance. IV. According to many modern economic theories, actions simply reflect an individual's preferences, whereas a psychological phenomenon called “cognitive dissonance” claims that actions can also create preference. We found a cluster of electrodes that survived a 200-random-iteration permutation procedure (Fig. The authors declare no competing financial interests. This activity shares similar spatial and temporal features as error-related negativity (ERN)—the electrophysiological correlate of performance monitoring. Difficult choices generate psychological (cognitive) dissonance, which is reduced by the post-decisional devaluation of unchosen options. You can cancel your subscription any time. Indeed, we found that the largest cognitive dissonance-related activity was observed in FCz. Center for Cognition and Decision Making, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Volgogradsky Prospekt 46b, 109316, Moscow, Russian Federation. The SoA of rejected items in Self-difficult trials approached significance compared with rejected items in another control Post-ex choice condition: t(41) = −1.779, p = 0.083. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium provided that the original work is properly attributed. We found that decisions associated with a higher level of cognitive dissonance elicited a stronger negative frontocentral deflection that peaked ∼60 ms after the response. In its original definition, cognitive dissonance is a state of arousal caused by having co-occurring cognitions such that one follows from the obverse of the other. Technological advances are allowing psychologists to study the biomechanics of cognitive dissonance. Here, we tested the hypothesis that choice-induced preference changes are associated with a response-locked negative ERP similar to ERN: We expected that a larger ERN-like activity would be generated during difficult decisions than easy decisions. LORETA estimates the current source density distribution in the brain, which contributes to the electrical scalp field (Pascual-Marqui et al., 1994; Pascual-Leone et al., 1999). In a control, Computer trials, participants were instructed to press the button corresponding to the food item randomly chosen by the computer (highlighted by a red square). Furthermore, the amplitude of the evoked response is correlated with the reevaluation of the alternatives. To examine the relationship between the magnitude of the ERN-like correlates of cognitive dissonance and postdecisional preference changes, we investigated the relationship between the aforementioned evoked activity and individual preference changes for rejected items. In both voltage distribution maps, large cross represents FCz electrode. The basic free-choice paradigm (Fig. ERN has been thought to reflect error detection (Luu et al., 2004), conflict detection, conflict monitoring (Yeung et al., 2004), and cognitive control (Ridderinkhof et al., 2004), as well as serving as an important electrophysiological correlate of reinforcement-learning mechanisms (Holroyd and Coles, 2002). Thus, our results suggest that cognitive dissonance is reflected in both resting-state and choice-related activity of the prefrontal cortex as part of the general performance-monitoring circuitry. Source: Liudmila Mezentseva – HSE Image Source: NeuroscienceNews.com image is in the public domain. In Computer trials and Post-ex Choice task, items were selected with the same criteria used for Self-difficult trials. Involvement of the pMFC in cognitive dissonance and general performance monitoring may suggest that cognitive dissonance, general action monitoring, and reinforcement learning may share neural mechanisms. . Unlike Preference task I, an additional text indicated either the participant's or the computer's decision during the Choice task (e.g., “you chose it,” “you rejected it,” or “computer chose it,” “computer rejected it”). Neuroscience research articles are provided. 2) replicate previous SoA findings using the free-choice paradigm (Izuma et al., 2010; Salti et al., 2014). This indicates that the preference changes in Self-easy trials were indeed lower than those in Self-difficult trials, regardless of the floor effect. Those who experience cognitive dissonance become psychologically uncomfortable, and thus may take measure to reduce situations that may induce cognitive dissonance. Genetics articles related to neuroscience research will be listed here. The term cognitive dissonance which is associated with Leon Festinger came into existence in 1957. To localize the generator of the ERN, we applied LORETA transformation to the evoked activity within a preselected time window corresponding to ±10 ms around the grand-averaged maximum peak for difference waves (error responses − correct responses). Furthermore, resting-state dynamics determine both behavioral and neural correlates of postdecisional preference changes. Decisions, Action, AnD neuroscience A Contemporary Perspective on Cognitive Dissonance Eddie Harmon-Jones Texas A&M University I first got to “know” Elliot Aronson through his writings, particularly his books, The Social Animal (1988) and Methods of Research in Social Psychology (Aronson, Ellsworth, Carlsmith, & Gonzales, 1990), and Researchers Predict Cognitive Dissonance By Looking At Brain Activity. When they liked one product and disliked the other, the respondents didn’t have any problem. In our experiment, we found similar frontocentral activity during the free-choice paradigm and Flanker task. Black lines below the histogram indicate statistically significant postdecisional preference change between Preference task I and Preference task II for rejected items. Eddie Harmon-Jones is professor of psychology at the University of New South Wales.He is recognized for his research on social neuroscience, cognitive dissonance, and the motivating aspects of emotions. Starting in the late 1950s, people started to look at cognitive dissonance, particularly Leon Festinger and his students at Stanford, who wrote the book A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance.According to Festinger, the important factor in cognitive dissonance theory is the principle of cognitive consistency. As in Ridderinkhof et al. What is Cognitive Dissonance Theory? The task consisted of 7 blocks (60 trials per block). To keep a mental balance, we start thinking that the car we didn’t choose wasn’t that good at all’. Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that our preferences are modulated by the mere act of choosing. Yet, there are unexpected consequences for making such decisions. Neuroscience News posts science research news from labs, universities, hospitals and news departments around the world. We also analyzed the SoA in trials with the highest cognitive dissonance: Self-difficult trials and control Post-ex choice trials. Festinger was an American social psychologist who was born in New York in 1919. We explored the dynamics of subjective coherence in an experimental paradigm (the "free choice "paradigm) originating for the field of cognitive dissonance. For random signals, such as white noise, the scaling exponent is 0.5. During the control Eriksen Flanker task, error responses were followed by larger frontocentral negativity-ERN compared with correct responses ∼60 ms after the button press. The location, source localization, and timing (Fig. The decrease in ratings for rejected items, also known as Spread of Alternatives (SoA), has been repeatedly demonstrated under the “free-choice paradigm” (Brehm, 1956; Gerard and White, 1983; Shultz et al., 1999; Lieberman et al., 2001; Coppin et al., 2010). Importantly, in this condition, changes between the two preference tasks cannot be induced by choices (cognitive dissonance). Chen and Risen (2010) indeed found a significant preference change, even in the rate-rate-choose condition, demonstrating that the preference change measured in a typical free-choice paradigm can occur in the absence of cognitive dissonance. The existence of ERN has been proven in a large set of experimental designs and paradigms, such as the Stroop task and Flanker task. In this new and fully-updated edition, editor Eddie Harmon-Jones brings the study of cognitive dissonance into the 21st century. Relationships between cognitive dissonance-related difference wave (Left, Maximum voltage at Fz; Middle, FCz; Right, Cz) and the SoA magnitude for rejected items in Self-difficult trials. Right, Topographical map for difference wave voltage distribution and LORETA solutions (scale range: 0–0.01 μA/mm2) for the difference wave within selected time window (±11 ms around the peak). When our actions conflict with our prior attitudes, we often change our attitudes to be more consistent with our actions. We found that decisions associated with a higher level of cognitive dissonance elicited a stronger negative fronto-central deflection that peaked ∼60 ms after the response. Our study demonstrates that choices associated with stronger cognitive dissonance trigger a larger negative frontocentral evoked response similar to error-related negativity, which has in turn been implicated in general performance monitoring. We calculated the Pearson correlation analysis (Fig. Overall, our findings indicate that a more pronounced LRTC leads to larger ERP and behavioral correlates of postdecisional adjustments of preferences. Definition of Psychology: Psychology is the study of behavior in an individual, or group. We further hypothesized that choice-induced preference changes depend on resting-state pMFC neuronal dynamics. Cognitive dissonance is a term for the state of discomfort felt when two or more modes of thought contradict each other. Off-line downregulation of the right pMFC just after the Choice task induced a reduction of choice-induced preference changes (SoA). LORETA solutions: localization of the CD/error-related ERPs at the pMFC in free-choice paradigm and Eriksen Flanker task. theory’s proposal that a sufficient cognitive inconsistency causes dissonance and extends the original theory by proposing why cognitive inconsistency prompts dissonance. You may also experience cognitive dissonance, which means that you believe two competing thoughts simultaneously. A set of 446 digital color photos of snack foods on a white background (chocolate, chips, small fruits or vegetables, cheese) were used as stimuli. Furthermore, the frontocentral resting-state activity predicted the individual magnitude of preference change and the strength of cognitive dissonance-related neural activity. The recent transcranial magnetic stimulation study demonstrated a causal role of the pMFC in postdecisional preference changes (Izuma et al., 2015). Rather, people adjust their attitudes to support their decision by increasing their preference for the selected option, decreasing their preference for the r… What is cognitive dissonance. The theory of cognitive dissonance suggests that such difficult choices could cause psychological discomfort (cognitive dissonance), which forces people to engage mechanisms of conflict reduction and preference change (for review, see Harmon-Jones and Harmon-Jones, 2008). To adjust for this confounding effect, the Post-ex choice (rate-rate-choose) control condition has been widely used (for review, see Izuma and Murayama, 2013).