1 Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
2 Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States.
3 Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, United States.
4 Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
5 Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, United Kingdom.
6 Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.
7 PERFORM centre, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.

Metacontrol of decision-making strategies in human aging.

Elife. 2019 Aug 09;8:

Authors: Bolenz F, Kool W, Reiter AM, Eppinger B

Abstract

Humans employ different strategies when making decisions. Previous research has reported reduced reliance on model-based strategies with aging, but it remains unclear whether this is due to cognitive or motivational factors. Moreover, it is not clear how aging affects the metacontrol of decision making, that is the dynamic adaptation of decision-making strategies to varying situational demands. In this cross-sectional study, we tested younger and older adults in a sequential decision-making task that dissociates model-free and model-based strategies. In contrast to previous research, model-based strategies led to higher payoffs. Moreover, we manipulated the costs and benefits of model-based strategies by varying reward magnitude and the stability of the task structure. Compared to younger adults, older adults showed reduced model-based decision making and less adaptation of decision-making strategies. Our findings suggest that aging affects the metacontrol of decision-making strategies and that reduced model-based strategies in older adults are due to limited cognitive abilities.

PMID: 31397670 [PubMed - in process]