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The economics of cognitive effort

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 December 2013

John Andrew Westbrook  and
Todd S. Braver
John Andrew Westbrook
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899. jawestbrook@wustl.edu http://ccpweb.wustl.edu/westbrook.html tbraver@artsci.wustl.edu http://ccpweb.wustl.edu/braver.html
Todd S. Braver
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899. jawestbrook@wustl.edu http://ccpweb.wustl.edu/westbrook.html tbraver@artsci.wustl.edu http://ccpweb.wustl.edu/braver.html
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Abstract

If cognitive effort indexes opportunity costs, it should be investigated like other cost factors including risk and delay. We discuss recent methodological advances in behavioral economics and neuroeconomics, highlighting our own work in measuring the subjective (economic) value of cognitive effort. We discuss the implications of Kurzban et al.'s proposal and how some of its predictions may be untestable without behavioral economic formalisms.

Information

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 36 , Issue 6 , December 2013 , pp. 704 - 705
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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