The ability to process emotional information predicts loss aversion

Bibby, Peter A.; Ferguson, Eamonn

doi:10.1016/j.paid.2010.05.001

Cited by 59 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…There is, however, neural evidence to support considerable variability in loss aversion at the individual level (Canessa et al, 2013;Tom et al, 2007) and it has been further argued that the expression of loss aversion varies as a function of context and individual differences (Hartley Bibby & Ferguson, 2011). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual Differences in Loss Aversion

Boyce

Wood

Ferguson

2016

Pers Soc Psychol Bull

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Loss aversion is considered a general pervasive bias occurring regardless of context or person making the decision. We hypothesized that conscientiousness would predict an aversion to losses in the financial domain. We index loss aversion by the relative impact of income losses and gains on life satisfaction. In a representative German sample (N = 105,558: replicated in a British sample, N = 33,848), with conscientiousness measured at baseline, those high on conscientiousness have the strongest reactions to income losses, suggesting a pronounced loss aversion effect, whilst for those moderately un-conscientious there is no loss aversion effect. Our research; (a) provides the first evidence of personality moderation of any loss aversion phenomena; (b) supports contextual perspectives that both personality and situational factors need to be examined in combination; (c) shows that the small but robust relationship with life satisfaction is primarily driven by a subset of people experiencing highly impactful losses.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual Differences in Loss Aversion

Boyce

Wood

Ferguson

2016

Pers Soc Psychol Bull

Self Cite

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“…Neuroimaging investigations have provided evidence that the vmPFC encodes the subjective value of rewards and actions (Hare et al 2009; Kable and Glimcher 2009). In addition to alterations in insula and vmPFC functioning (Wingbermuhle et al 2012), alexithymia has also been associated with reduced hedonic capacity (cf., Loas et al 1997a; Prince and Berenbaum 1993), reduced sensitivity to negative outcomes (Bibby and Ferguson 2011), and compromised performance in the Iowa Gambling Task (Ferguson et al 2009; Kano et al 2011). As the integration of interoceptive information (insula) with subjective value information (vmPFC) is critical for optimal decision making (Bechara and Damasio 2005), we speculate that reduced aI–vmPFC functional coupling may contribute to alterations in reward/punishment processing associated with alexithymia and/or nicotine addiction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insula’s functional connectivity with ventromedial prefrontal cortex mediates the impact of trait alexithymia on state tobacco craving

et al. 2013

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Rationale Alexithymia is a personality trait characterized by difficulty indentifying and describing subjective emotional experiences. Decreased aptitude in the perception, evaluation, and communication of affectively laden mental states has been associated with reduced emotion regulation, more severe drug craving in addicts, and structural/functional alterations in insula and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The insula and ACC represent sites of convergence between the putative neural substrates of alexithymia and those perpetuating cigarette smoking. Objectives We examined the interrelations between alexithymia, tobacco craving, and insula/ACC neurocircuitry using resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC). Methods Overnight-deprived smokers (n=24) and non-smokers (n=20) completed six neuroimaging assessments on different days both in the absence of, and following, varenicline and/or nicotine administration. In this secondary analysis of data from a larger study, we assessed trait alexithymia and state tobacco craving using self-reports and examined the rsFC of bilateral insular subregions (anterior, middle, posterior) and dorsal ACC. Results Higher alexithymia in smokers predicted reduced rsFC strength between the right anterior insula (aI) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). Higher alexithymia also predicted more severe tobacco craving during nicotine withdrawal. Critically, the identified aI–vmPFC circuit fully mediated this alexithymia–craving relation. That is, elevated alexithymia predicted decreased aI–vmPFC rsFC and, in turn, decreased aI–vmPFC rsFC predicted increased craving during withdrawal. A moderated mediation analysis indicated that this aI–vmPFC mediational effect was not observed following drug administration. Conclusions These results suggest that a weakened right aI–vmPFC functional circuit confers increased liability for tobacco craving during smoking abstinence. Individual differences in alexithymia and/or aI–vmPFC functional coupling may be relevant factors for smoking cessation success.

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“…To name a few: longevity (Jackson et al, 2015), health behavior (Bogg and Roberts, 2004, 2013) financial decision making (Lauriola and Levin, 2001; Bibby and Ferguson, 2011) and job performance (Barrick and Mount, 1991). …”

Section: The Importance Of Emotions In the Study Of Personalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Primary Emotional Systems and Personality: An Evolutionary Perspective

2017

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The present article highlights important concepts of personality including stability issues from the perspective of situational demands and stability over the life-course. Following this more introductory section, we argue why individual differences in primary emotional systems may represent the phylogenetically oldest parts of human personality. Our argumentation leads to the need to increasingly consider individual differences in the raw affects/emotions of people to understand human personality in a bottom–up fashion, which can be coordinated with top–down perspectives. In support of this idea, we also review existing evidence linking individual differences in primal emotions as assessed with the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales and the widely accepted Big Five Model of Personality. In this context, we provide additional evidence on the link between primal emotions and personality in German and Chinese sample populations. In short, this article addresses evolutionary perspectives in the evaluation of human personality, highlighting some of the ancestral emotional urges that probably still control variations in the construction of human personality structures. Moreover, we address how individual differences in primary emotional systems can illuminate linkages to major human psychopathologies and the potential advantages and disadvantages of carrying a certain personality trait within certain cultural/environmental niches.

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The ability to process emotional information predicts loss aversion

Cited by 59 publications

References 29 publications

Individual Differences in Loss Aversion

Individual Differences in Loss Aversion

Insula’s functional connectivity with ventromedial prefrontal cortex mediates the impact of trait alexithymia on state tobacco craving

Primary Emotional Systems and Personality: An Evolutionary Perspective

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