Late acute stress effects on decision-making: The magnified attraction to immediate gains in the iowa gambling task

Abstract

Previous literature indicates that the later phases of the acute stress response may promote poor decision-making, characterized by riskier choices and a likely inclination towards immediate reward-seeking. However, all studies addressing the effect of this phase have treated decisional capacity as a singular dimension, without analyzing the underlying processes under decision-making. Employing the Value-Plus-Perseveration (VPP) RL model, based on Bayesian logic, this study aims to gain specific insights into how late phase of acute stress impacts the cognitive processes underpinning decision-making in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), deciphering whether, as expected, gains are processed in a magnified manner. Seventy-three participants were randomly assigned to two groups, stress (N = 35) and control (N = 38). A virtual version of The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-VR) was employed as a laboratory stressor. Decision-making was evaluated 35 minutes after the stressor onset, by means of the IGT. Results showed that stressed participants, in comparison to control group, displayed more perseverant and consistent decision-making, enhanced memory, and reinforcement learning capabilities, yet were guided by a greater attraction to decks offering immediate high gains. These results are analyzed with the understanding that in the IGT, short-term decisions focused on instant rewards are seen as counterproductive. This suggests that stress could limit the ability to switch to strategies that are more cautious and offer greater long-term benefits.