New research paper looks at how construal, numeracy and financial literacy predict brain activity during gambling decisions

A new paper from the MIND Lab has been published in the journal Behavioural Brain Research. The paper, titled “Neurological and behavioural correlates of construal in economic decision-making under cognitive load”, examines how construal level interacts with cognitive load, numeracy, financial literacy and self-control during economic decision-making.

This paper has relevance to our understanding of gambling behaviour, as the decisions under examination were functionally gambling decisions. The findings suggest that high construal (thinking about the big picture) promotes risk aversion under cognitive load, while low construal (focusing on details) may lead to increased risk-taking. Additionally, individual differences in self-control, financial literacy and subjective numeracy were found to influence brain activation patterns during these decisions.

The study employed functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure brain activity, specifically in the lateral pre-frontal cortex (LPFC), which is associated with decision-making and self-control. The results provide new insights into how cognitive processes and individual differences interact to influence economic decisions, particularly in contexts that resemble gambling.

The full paper can be accessed via the following link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2025.115829