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Decisions are never perfect, with confidence in one's choices fluctuating over time. How subjective confidence and valuation of choice options interact at the level of brain and behavior is unknown. Using a dynamic model of the decision process, we show that confidence reflects the evolution of a decision variable over time, explaining the observed relation between confidence, value, accuracy and reaction time. As predicted by our dynamic model, we show that a functional magnetic resonance imaging signal in human ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) reflects both value comparison and confidence in the value comparison process. Crucially, individuals varied in how they related confidence to accuracy, allowing us to show that this introspective ability is predicted by a measure of functional connectivity between vmPFC and rostrolateral prefrontal cortex. Our findings provide a mechanistic link between noise in value comparison and metacognitive awareness of choice, enabling us both to want and to express knowledge of what we want.

Original publication

DOI

10.1038/nn.3279

Type

Journal article

Journal

Nat Neurosci

Publication Date

01/2013

Volume

16

Pages

105 - 110

Keywords

Adult, Brain Mapping, Choice Behavior, Cognition, Computer Simulation, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Judgment, Linear Models, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Models, Psychological, Prefrontal Cortex, Psychophysics, Young Adult