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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDPsychophysiology

Vagal Activity Is Associated With Intuitive Decision-Making in Men Under Stress-Free Conditions but Not Following a Stressor.

  • Valentin Magnon1,2
  • Félix Duplessis-Marcotte1,2
  • Roxanne Leblanc1,2
  • Marie-France Marin1,2,3
  1. 1Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
  2. 2Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Centre intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
  3. 3Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Abstract

While stress seems to increase risk-taking, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. The Somatic Marker Hypothesis, which postulates that somatic markers (intuitive signals) indexed by skin conductance responses (SCR) advantageously guide decisions, allows investigating the underlying mechanisms. The cerebral integration of somatic markers is thought to occur via the vagus nerve, whose activity is modulated in stressful situations. This study tested whether vagal activity moderates the ability for somatic markers to guide decision-making following stressful and control conditions. As sex differences have been observed in decision-making, they were also considered as a possible moderator. Young adults (n = 111; 57 women) were randomly assigned to the Trier Social Stress Test or a control condition before completing the Iowa Gambling Task. Cardiac vagal activity, indexed by heart rate variability (HRV), and SCR were recorded during the task. Bayesian logistic multilevel modeling revealed that SCR was predictive of decision-making only for men in the control condition with high cardiac vagal activity. More specifically, when men with high HRV experienced a decrease in SCR relative to their mean, their likelihood of choosing a risky deck decreased at the end of the task. Although these findings were not observed in women, they suggest that vagal activity may promote intuitive decision-making following non-stressful conditions, whereas stress exposure may impede these beneficial effects.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{magnon2026vagal,
  title = {{Vagal Activity Is Associated With Intuitive Decision-Making in Men Under Stress-Free Conditions but Not Following a Stressor.}},
  author = {Valentin Magnon and Félix Duplessis-Marcotte and Roxanne Leblanc and Marie-France Marin},
  journal = {Psychophysiology},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.1111/psyp.70437},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968402},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Vagal Activity Is Associated With Intuitive Decision-Making in Men Under Stress-Free Conditions but Not Following a Stressor.
AU  - Valentin Magnon
AU  - Félix Duplessis-Marcotte
AU  - Roxanne Leblanc
AU  - Marie-France Marin
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/01
JO  - Psychophysiology
DO  - 10.1111/psyp.70437
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968402
AB  - While stress seems to increase risk-taking, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. The Somatic Marker Hypothesis, which postulates that somatic markers (intuitive signals) indexed by skin conductance responses (SCR) advantageously guide decisions, allows investigating the underlying mechanisms. The cerebral integration of somatic markers is thought to occur via the vagus nerve, whose activity is modulated in stressful situations. This study tested whether vagal activity moderates the ability for somatic markers to guide decision-making following stressful and control conditions. As sex differences have been observed in decision-making, they were also considered as a possible moderator. Young adults (n = 111; 57 women) were randomly assigned to the Trier Social Stress Test or a control condition before completing the Iowa Gambling Task. Cardiac vagal activity, indexed by heart rate variability (HRV), and SCR were recorded during the task. Bayesian logistic multilevel modeling revealed that SCR was predictive of decision-making only for men in the control condition with high cardiac vagal activity. More specifically, when men with high HRV experienced a decrease in SCR relative to their mean, their likelihood of choosing a risky deck decreased at the end of the task. Although these findings were not observed in women, they suggest that vagal activity may promote intuitive decision-making following non-stressful conditions, whereas stress exposure may impede these beneficial effects.
SN  - 0048-5772
SN  - 1540-5958
SN  - 1469-8986
ER  -