Regresar

Emotions: A short review of its influence on decision-making provided by behavioral, neuropsychological and neuropharmacological evidence.

Abstract:

Emotions represent one of the most fascinating phenomena which human beings are capable to experience. Therefore, its relevance in our daily life has become a widely studied field of research for many years. The role of emotions in processes like empathy and social interaction is widely notorious. However, several studies have suggested that emotions might also be associated with other important processes of daily life situations which have been commonly associated with cognitive factors rather than emotional ones, more specifically, with the decision-making process. This review aims to describe some of the most important findings provided by studies that suggest that the role of emotions in decision-making processes not only appears to be crucial at the moment of taking a decision, but also represent the key element in the decisions that individuals will take in the future, a concept which seems strongly related with the avoidance of regret. Evidence provided by behavioral, neuropsychological and neuropharmacological studies will be briefly described in this review with a special emphasis in the findings supporting the somatic marker hypothesis. Likewise, we attempt to provide some suggestions for future research regarding the gaps which still require to be covered in order to complement the findings described in this review.