Skip to main content
Log in

Computational strategies for deliberative thought

  • Research Briefing
  • Published:

From Nature Neuroscience

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Two monkeys solved combinatorial optimization problems for rewards. They deliberated for extended durations, approximated efficient computational algorithms for managing complexity, and even selected algorithms according to the computational complexity of the trial. These findings reveal evidence for algorithm-based reasoning and establish a paradigm for studying the neurophysiological basis of deliberative thought.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1: Computational complexity drives extended deliberation.

References

  1. Kahneman, D. A perspective on judgment and choice: mapping bounded rationality. Am. Psychol. 58, 697–720 (2003). This summary of Kahneman’s Nobel prize lecture is a nice introduction to system 1 and 2 thinking.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Padoa-Schioppa, C. & Assad, J. A. Neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex encode economic value. Nature 441, 223–226 (2006). This paper used binary choices to show that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) codes the values of choice options and the chosen option.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Rich, E. L. & Wallis, J. D. Decoding subjective decisions from orbitofrontal cortex. Nat. Neurosci. 19, 973–980 (2016). This paper used a binary choices paradigm to show that choices could be decoded from OFC.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Schultz, W. Neuronal reward and decision signals: from theories to data. Physiol. Rev. 95, 853–951 (2015). This review article presents a concise summary of single-unit recordings in choice tasks.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Murawski, C. & Bossaerts, P. How humans solve complex problems: the case of the knapsack problem. Sci. Rep. 6, 34851 (2016). This article shows that computational complexity modulates human behaviors in the knapsack problem.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This is a summary of: Hong, T. & Stauffer, W. R. Computational complexity drives sustained deliberation. Nat. Neurosci. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-023-01307-6 (2023).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Computational strategies for deliberative thought. Nat Neurosci 26, 735–736 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-023-01309-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-023-01309-4

  • Springer Nature America, Inc.

Navigation