Prefrontal Oxygenation in a Subjective Decision on a Situational Danger Assessment Task: Personality Traits and Decision-Making Styles Involvement

Abstract

This study investigated prefrontal cortex activity during the viewing and evaluation of pictures depicting scenarios with varying levels of danger, with a focus on the modulatory effects of personality traits and decision-making styles. The study sample included 120 male participants (44.4 ± 12.9 years) and 87 female participants (38.9 ± 10.5 years). Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to measure prefrontal oxygenation during the period of looking at pictures and the subsequent period of judging how dangerous they looked. Psychometric assessments included the Zuckerman–Kuhlman–Aluja Personality Questionnaire (ZKA-PQ) and the Melbourne Decision-Making Questionnaire (MDMQ). The results revealed significant time-by-region (F = 2.9, p = 0.013) and danger level by region interactions (F = 2.8, p = 0.021) during the viewing period. During the evaluation period, a significant time-by-region interaction was observed (F = 8.7, p < 0.001). High sensation seekers exhibited reduced oxygenation levels in specific right prefrontal regions, reflecting a differential neural response to varying danger levels. Similarly, individuals with higher Aggressiveness and Extraversion displayed distinct oxygenation patterns during the evaluation phase, suggesting that personality traits influence prefrontal activity. However, no significant effects of decision-making styles were detected in either phase. These findings emphasise the pivotal role of the prefrontal cortex in assessing scene safety and highlight how neural responses are modulated by personality traits, rather than by decision-making styles.

Keywords

• personality traits
• prefrontal cortex
• risk assessment
• decision-making styles
• fNIRS