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Exploring the Impact of Social Dominance Orientation on Decision-Making Under Uncertain Conditions: An ERP Study

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D student in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.

3 Prof., Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Women’s Mental Health & Brain Function, Tübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.

4 Assistant professor, Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

5 Prof., Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Tabriz, Iran.

Abstract

Social dominance orientation (SDO) characterizes an individual's inclination to accept social hierarchies and seek superiority over specific groups. Within the context of decision-making, SDO plays a pivotal role, particularly when navigating complex and uncertain situations. This research aimed to examine the neural and behavioral patterns associated with decision-making under uncertainty in individuals with different levels of social dominance orientation. Researchers studied the brain activity of 30 students. Participants received positive and negative feedback under conditions of anticipation and uncertainty, while their brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG). Specifically, features related to the N2 component (amplitude and latency) were examined. The findings revealed individuals with higher SDO exhibited faster reaction times during decision-making, especially when confronted with uncertain outcomes. As social dominance orientation increased, participants became more adept at swiftly processing information and making choices. Moreover, the high SDO group displayed a larger N2 amplitude compared to the low SDO group. This amplitude difference was particularly pronounced when participants received negative feedback. Interestingly, the effect was context-dependent: When individuals with high SDO anticipated certain outcomes (positive or negative), their N2 amplitude increased significantly upon receiving negative feedback. Conversely, individuals with low SDO showed a larger N2 amplitude specifically when faced with unexpected negative feedback in uncertain situations. However, the comparison of N2 latency between the group with high SDO and the group with low SDO did not yield statistically significant differences. These findings suggest that decision-making speed under uncertainty could be considered a potential biological marker for individual tendencies toward social dominance. This discovery, in addition to confirming the relationship between social dominance orientation and decision-making processes, could have applications in various fields, including the design of AI-based decision-making systems and the development of strategies for managing social behavior.

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References
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Social Cognition
Volume 13, Issue 25 - Serial Number 25
May 2024
Pages 83-99
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