The hierarchical construction of value. (October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: O'Doherty, John P; Rutishauser, Ueli; Iigaya, Kiyohito
• Is Part Of: Current opinion in behavioral sciences. Volume 41(2021)
• Page Start: 71
• Page End: 77
• Publication Date: 2021-10
• Subjects: Psychology -- Periodicals; 150.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.03.027
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-1546

Abstract

Highlights: Value judgments for a prospective outcome are proposed to be actively constructed in the brain. Stimuli are broken down into constituent features and a weighted integration over those features yields an overall value. This enables generalization of value to new stimuli and flexible recalculation of value after changes in state or context. Value judgment involves a hierarchical integration over features of different levels of abstraction. Lateral orbital and ventromedial prefrontal cortex play key roles in feature-based value construction. Abstract : Here we argue that the assignment of subjective value to potential outcomes at the time of decision-making is an active process, in which individual features of a potential outcome of varying degrees of abstraction are represented hierarchically and integrated in a weighted fashion to produce an overall value judgment. We implicate the lateral orbital and medial prefrontal cortex in this function, situating these areas more broadly within a hierarchical integration process that takes place throughout the cortex for the ultimate purpose of valuing options to guide decisions.