Perturbation of Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Makes Power Holders Less Resistant to Tempting Bribes

Abstract

Bribery is a common form of corruption that takes place when a briber suborns a power holder to achieve an advantageous outcome at the cost of moral transgression. Although bribery has been extensively investigated in the behavioral sciences, its underlying neurobiological basis remains poorly understood. Here, we employed transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in combination with a novel paradigm ( N = 119 adults) to investigate whether disruption of right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFC) causally changed bribe-taking decisions of power holders. Perturbing rDLPFC via tDCS specifically made participants more willing to take bribes as the relative value of the offer increased. This tDCS-induced effect could not be explained by changes in other measures. Model-based analyses further revealed that such neural modulation alters the concern for generating profits for oneself via taking bribes and reshapes the concern for the distribution inequity between oneself and the briber, thereby influencing the subsequent decisions. These findings reveal a causal role of rDLPFC in modulating corrupt behavior.

Using wearable technology (closed loop acoustic stimulation) to improve sleep quality and work outcomes.

“…Also central to these conceptual foundations has been the importance of self-regulation. Poor sleep quality undermines function in the prefrontal cortex (Altena et al, 2008), which is a key region of the brain involved in self-regulation (Hu et al, 2022; S. Kaplan & Berman, 2010). Accordingly, poor sleep quality undermines self-control (Guarana, Ryu, et al, 2021), leaving them less able to fully invest themselves in work (Lanaj et al, 2014).…”

“…Also central to these conceptual foundations has been the importance of selfregulation. Poor sleep quality undermines function in the prefrontal cortex (Altena et al, 2008), which is a key region of the brain involved in self-regulation (Hu et al, 2022;S. Kaplan & Berman, 2010).…”