Neurofeedback System Over Frontal Alpha Asymmetry Modulates Fairness-Related Social Decision-Making

Effective regulation of social decision-making is crucial for achieving equitable outcomes in human interactions. This study explores the impact of endogenous regulation on social decision-making and associated neural changes through a neurofeedback (NF) training framework. Given the relationship between social decision making, emotions, and frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), this NF training enables individuals to self-regulate their FAA, thereby influencing their decision-making behavior. Eighty-one participants were randomly divided into the up-FAA group aiming at up-regulating FAA, the down-FAA group aiming at down-regulating FAA, and the sham-NF group. First, our results validated the specific NF training effect on selfregulating FAA. Notably, not all participants in the up-FAA and down-FAA groups successfully learned to regulate their FAA, leading to further subdivision into up-learner, down-learner, up-nonlearner, and down-nonlearner categories based on learning efficacy. Participants who effectively learned to reduce their FAA (down-learners) showed significant changes in decision behavior under moderately unfair conditions, characterized by increased rejection rates during the ultimatum game (UG) task. They also exhibited larger N200 amplitudes while balancing the decisionmaking period. In contrast, up learners demonstrated minimal behavioral changes despite increases in FAA. We conclude that decreases in FAA have a more pronounced impact on social decision-making than increases during NF training. This study highlights the effects of FAA self-regulation on fairness-related decision-making, revealing the neurobiological factors that shape decisions influenced by fairness perceptions. These findings offer valuable insights for enhancing social cooperation and justice.