Acute Stress Impairs Adaptation and Promotes Perseverative Choices in Social Decision-Making during the Ultimatum Game

• Molins, Francisco ^[1] ; Paz, Mónica ^[1] ; Serrano, Miguel A. ^[1]
  1. [1] Universitat de València

     Universitat de València

     Valencia, España

     
• Localización: The Spanish Journal of Psychology, ISSN 1138-7416, Nº 29, 2026
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.1017/sjp.2026.10019
• Enlaces
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• Resumen

  • Abstract Social decision-making is a multifaceted process where decisions impact not only the individual but also the larger group. Acute stress may influence individual decision-making, potentially increasing reward-driven choices and affecting learning and adaptive adjustment. However, studies examining stress’s impact on social decision-making have presented inconsistencies, potentially arising from assessing decision-making as a singular dimension. This article aims to test, using computational modeling, the stress effect on social decision making and cognitive subprocesses involved during the Ultimatum Game (UG). Seventy-three healthy participants underwent the UG, with only half exposed before to the virtual Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-VR). In our data, prosocial behavior—as indexed by the number of accepted offers and sensitivity to unfair distributions—did not show immediate alterations 15 min following stressor onset. However, stressed participants exhibited a diminished capacity to learn and adapt during the task, alongside a more perseverative decision-making pattern. These results support the negative impact of stress on social decisions and underscore the importance of considering its effects in mitigating challenges related to social integration and cohesion.

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