Book contents
- Cognitive Neuroscience of Decision-Making
- Cognitive Neuroscience of Decision-Making
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Glossary
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Executive Function and Cognitive Control
- 3 The Prefrontal Cortex
- 4 Prefrontal Cortex Structure and Organisation
- 5 Neurotransmitters and Neurophysiology
- 6 Memory
- 7 Decision Networks
- 8 Decision-Making Styles and Models of Decision-Making
- 9 Development
- 10 The Role of Childhood Experiences in Decision-Making
- 11 Decision-Making Deficits
- 12 Implications of Decision-Making
- Index
- References
2 - Executive Function and Cognitive Control
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 November 2025
Book contents
- Cognitive Neuroscience of Decision-Making
- Cognitive Neuroscience of Decision-Making
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Glossary
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Executive Function and Cognitive Control
- 3 The Prefrontal Cortex
- 4 Prefrontal Cortex Structure and Organisation
- 5 Neurotransmitters and Neurophysiology
- 6 Memory
- 7 Decision Networks
- 8 Decision-Making Styles and Models of Decision-Making
- 9 Development
- 10 The Role of Childhood Experiences in Decision-Making
- 11 Decision-Making Deficits
- 12 Implications of Decision-Making
- Index
- References
Summary
Executive function is an umbrella term used to describe a collection of complex cognitive processes, which include decision-making, acting as a mechanism of integration rather than a function in itself. It is thought to consist of three main elements: inhibition, working memory and cognitive flexibility – each of which is important in the execution of decisions. Executive functions, like decision-making, are especially difficult to understand and conceptualise due to their abstract nature. Abstract thinking refers to an ability to form ideas that are not concrete, or that cannot be perceived in the present environment – a key contributor to complex decisions that involve integration of past experiences and planning ahead.
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- Cognitive Neuroscience of Decision-Making , pp. 3 - 21Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
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