Optimal Decision-Making Duration

Decision-making is a complex and prolonged process. In this study, we present an adaptive algorithm designed to explicitly estimate the duration of perceptual decision-making in the Random Dot Motion Task. The algorithm effectively disentangles the duration of the preparation period for the subject's decision on the direction of movement of the dots from the period required for the realisation of the motor response. Participants, under both easy and hard conditions, determined the motion direction of the dots on the screen, employing both standard and adaptive task settings. Notably, we observed a longer reaction time for the hard condition compared to the easy condition in the standard task. Conversely, the adaptive task revealed a longer duration of the preparatory period for the hard condition compared to the easy condition. However, reaction times in the adaptive task did not differ significantly between conditions. Thus, the algorithm proves valuable in distinguishing between the duration of decision-making, which is influenced by the task's difficulty, and the motor reaction realization time, which remains independent of the task's difficulty. This distinction allows for more accurate exploration of decision-making processes in both healthy individuals and patients with cognitive and motor impairments. The algorithm's implementation opens up promising avenues for enhancing our understanding of decision-making mechanisms across diverse populations.