Choosing among different options typically entails weighing their anticipated costs and benefits. Previous research has predominantly focused on situations, where the costs and benefits of choices are known before an action is effectuated. Yet many decisions in daily life are made on the fly, for instance, making a snack choice while walking through the grocery store. Notably, the costs of actions change dynamically while moving. Therefore, in this study we examined whether the concurrent action dynamics of gait form part of and affect value-based decisions. In three experiments, participants had to decide which lateral (left vs. right) target (associated with different rewards) they would go to, while they were already walking. Results showed that the target choice was biased by the alternating stepping behavior, even at the expense of receiving less reward. These findings provide evidence that whole-body action dynamics affect value-based decisions.

Objectives Mindfulness practice can enhance different aspects of attentional functions, such as the ability to sustain the attentional focus over time. However, it is still unclear whether this practice might indeed impact higher cognitive functions, such as control mechanisms that allow the appropriate and flexible allocation of attentional resources. In this longitudinal study, changes associated with a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program were investigated, with a focus on proactive and reactive cognitive control mechanisms, namely, the ability to maintain task-relevant information and to prepare in advance the response, and the ability to promptly adjust overlearned behaviors in response to conflicting stimuli. Methods Two groups of participants took part in the study: 26 participants who completed a formal MBSR training (mean age = 43 years, females = 21) and 23 participants who performed a control training (mean age = 47.2 years, females = 20). They were tested on a modified AX-continuous performance task (AX-CPT), before and after eight weeks of training. The electroencephalographic (EEG) signal was recorded during task execution, and amplitude modulations of event-related potentials (ERPs) associated with cues and probes were examined. Results After the training, the MBSR group exhibited a significant reduction of errors on high conflicting trials. Concurrently, the Contingent Negative Variation (CNV), an ERP index of anticipatory processes elicited by task cues, became more pronounced in the post-training session in the MBSR group only. In addition, an attenuated probe-locked N2 and an increased P3a component emerged. Conclusions Taken together, the behavioral and electrophysiological results suggest that the mindfulness practice enhanced the ability to implement both proactive and reactive cognitive control processes.