Journal article
A Neuropsychological Test of Belief and Doubt: Damage to Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Increases Credulity for Misleading Advertising
Frontiers in neuroscience, Vol.6(JULY), pp.100-100
2012
DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2012.00100
PMID: 22787439
Abstract
We have proposed the
False Tagging Theory
(FTT) as a neurobiological model of belief and doubt processes. The theory posits that the prefrontal cortex is critical for normative doubt toward properly comprehended ideas or cognitions. Such doubt is important for advantageous decisions, for example in the financial and consumer purchasing realms. Here, using a neuropsychological approach, we put the FTT to an empirical test, hypothesizing that focal damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) would cause a “doubt deficit” that would result in higher credulity and purchase intention for consumer products featured in misleading advertisements. We presented 8 consumer ads to 18 patients with focal brain damage to the vmPFC, 21 patients with focal brain damage outside the prefrontal cortex, and 10 demographically similar healthy comparison participants. Patients with vmPFC damage were (1) more credulous to misleading ads; and (2) showed the highest intention to purchase the products in the misleading advertisements, relative to patients with brain damage outside the prefrontal cortex and healthy comparison participants. The pattern of findings was obtained even for ads in which the misleading bent was “corrected” by a disclaimer. The evidence is consistent with our proposal that damage to the vmPFC disrupts a “false tagging mechanism” which normally produces doubt and skepticism for cognitive representations. We suggest that the disruption increases credulity for misleading information, even when the misleading information is corrected for by a disclaimer. This mechanism could help explain poor financial decision-making when persons with ventromedial prefrontal dysfunction (e.g., caused by neurological injury or aging) are exposed to persuasive information.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A Neuropsychological Test of Belief and Doubt: Damage to Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Increases Credulity for Misleading Advertising
- Creators
- Erik Asp - Division of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of Iowa College of MedicineKenneth Manzel - Division of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of Iowa College of MedicineBryan Koestner - Division of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of Iowa College of MedicineCatherine A Cole - Department of Marketing, University of IowaNatalie L Denburg - Division of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of Iowa College of MedicineDaniel Tranel - Department of Psychology, University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Frontiers in neuroscience, Vol.6(JULY), pp.100-100
- DOI
- 10.3389/fnins.2012.00100
- PMID
- 22787439
- NLM abbreviation
- Front Neurosci
- ISSN
- 1662-4548
- eISSN
- 1662-453X
- Publisher
- Frontiers Research Foundation
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2012
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Marketing; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Hospital Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984002498902771
Metrics
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