Social distance uncertain decision making

Many factors influence uncertain decision-making; among those, the effect of social distance is conflicting. This investigation explores how social distance influences uncertain decision-making by recording event-related potentials of fifty-seven healthy subjects (36 female) in the Iowa Gambling Task when they gambled for three quantified social distances (self, friend and stranger). Three stages of uncertain decision-making were analyzed. Behavioural results showed high social distance made people more desirable consequences approaching and undesirable consequences avoiding than low social distance. P300 in choice evaluation stage, which reflects stimulus discrimination, directly proved this result, gambling for a stranger caused higher P300 when evaluating advantageous deck and lower P300 when evaluating disadvantageous deck. Decision preceding negativity in response selection stage, which represents the anticipation of risky choices, was larger in high social distance when choosing disadvantageous decks. Feedback-related negativity and feedback-related P300, which were motivational significant, showed smaller amplitudes when gambling for a stranger. Results suggest that social distance works differently in the distinct stages of uncertain decision-making.