The Role of Spatial and Non-Spatial Context in Hierarchical Decisionmaking
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Altizer, Zoe M.
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Abstract
Decisionmaking is an essential cognitive process that enables humans to navigate complex environments. This study developed and tested a novel paradigm to investigate how the brain organizes hierarchical decisionmaking by comparing spatial and non-spatial contexts. Inspired by previous hierarchical task designs, we adapted the AX-Continuous Performance Task to a virtual environment where participants responded to prompts involving realistic spatial and non-spatial elements. Behavioral results confirmed participants’ ability to differentiate between hierarchical levels within the task design, validating the paradigm’s feasibility for future functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies.
This research underscores the importance of understanding cognitive hierarchies in real-world decision-making and contributes to furthering potential insights into disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and ADHD, where decision-making processes are disrupted.
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Undergraduate Research Option Thesis