Decision Making Architecture¶

This diagram provides a detailed view of the NeuroCognitive Architecture (NCA) decision-making components.

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graph TB
    classDef main fill:#1a1a1a,stroke:#555,color:#fff
    classDef component fill:#242424,stroke:#555,color:#fff
    classDef subcomponent fill:#2b2b2b,stroke:#555,color:#fff
    classDef evaluation fill:#203040,stroke:#555,color:#fff
    classDef reasoning fill:#302030,stroke:#555,color:#fff
    classDef utility fill:#203020,stroke:#555,color:#fff
    classDef selection fill:#302020,stroke:#555,color:#fff
    classDef external fill:#383838,stroke:#555,color:#fff

    subgraph DecisionSystem["Decision Making System"]
        direction TB
        class DecisionSystem main

        subgraph CoreComponents["Core Decision Components"]
            direction TB
            class CoreComponents component

            subgraph OptionEvaluation["Option Evaluation"]
                direction TB
                class OptionEvaluation evaluation
                FeatureExtraction[Feature<br>Extraction] --- FeatureAnalysis[Feature<br>Analysis]
                MultiCriteriaEval[Multi-Criteria<br>Evaluation] --- ConsistencyChecks[Consistency<br>Checks]
                class FeatureExtraction,FeatureAnalysis,MultiCriteriaEval,ConsistencyChecks subcomponent
            end

            subgraph ReasoningEngine["Reasoning Engine"]
                direction TB
                class ReasoningEngine reasoning
                LogicalReasoning[Logical<br>Reasoning] --- CausalReasoning[Causal<br>Reasoning]
                InductiveReasoning[Inductive<br>Reasoning] --- DeductiveReasoning[Deductive<br>Reasoning]
                AbstractReasoning[Abstract<br>Reasoning] --- AnalogyReasoning[Analogy<br>Reasoning]
                class LogicalReasoning,CausalReasoning,InductiveReasoning,DeductiveReasoning,AbstractReasoning,AnalogyReasoning subcomponent
            end

            subgraph UtilityCalculation["Utility Calculation"]
                direction TB
                class UtilityCalculation utility
                CostComputation[Cost<br>Computation] --- BenefitComputation[Benefit<br>Computation]
                RiskAnalysis[Risk<br>Analysis] --- RewardEvaluation[Reward<br>Evaluation]
                DiscountingMechanism[Discounting<br>Mechanism] --- ProbabilityWeighting[Probability<br>Weighting]
                class CostComputation,BenefitComputation,RiskAnalysis,RewardEvaluation,DiscountingMechanism,ProbabilityWeighting subcomponent
            end

            subgraph OptionSelection["Option Selection"]
                direction TB
                class OptionSelection selection
                MaxUtilitySelector[Max Utility<br>Selector] --- ProbabilisticSelector[Probabilistic<br>Selector]
                SatisficingSelector[Satisficing<br>Selector] --- MultiObjectiveOptimizer[Multi-Objective<br>Optimizer]
                ThresholdBasedSelector[Threshold-Based<br>Selector] --- HeuristicSelector[Heuristic<br>Selector]
                class MaxUtilitySelector,ProbabilisticSelector,SatisficingSelector,MultiObjectiveOptimizer,ThresholdBasedSelector,HeuristicSelector subcomponent
            end
        end

        subgraph CognitiveInfluences["Cognitive Influences"]
            direction TB
            class CognitiveInfluences component

            subgraph CognitiveBiases["Cognitive Biases"]
                direction TB
                class CognitiveBiases reasoning
                ConfirmationBias[Confirmation<br>Bias] --- AnchoringBias[Anchoring<br>Bias]
                AvailabilityBias[Availability<br>Bias] --- SunkCostBias[Sunk Cost<br>Bias]
                FramingBias[Framing<br>Bias] --- StatusQuoBias[Status Quo<br>Bias]
                class ConfirmationBias,AnchoringBias,AvailabilityBias,SunkCostBias,FramingBias,StatusQuoBias subcomponent
            end

            subgraph EmotionalProcessing["Emotional Processing"]
                direction TB
                class EmotionalProcessing utility
                EmotionalAppraisal[Emotional<br>Appraisal] --- EmotionalRegulation[Emotional<br>Regulation]
                AffectiveForecasting[Affective<br>Forecasting] --- EmotionalMemory[Emotional<br>Memory]
                class EmotionalAppraisal,EmotionalRegulation,AffectiveForecasting,EmotionalMemory subcomponent
            end

            subgraph SocialFactors["Social Factors"]
                direction TB
                class SocialFactors utility
                NormAlignment[Norm<br>Alignment] --- SocialUtility[Social<br>Utility]
                Fairness[Fairness<br>Assessment] --- Reciprocity[Reciprocity<br>Mechanisms]
                class NormAlignment,SocialUtility,Fairness,Reciprocity subcomponent
            end
        end

        subgraph ExecutiveMonitoring["Executive Monitoring"]
            direction TB
            class ExecutiveMonitoring component
            ConfidenceEstimation[Confidence<br>Estimation] --- UncertaintyQuantification[Uncertainty<br>Quantification]
            ConflictDetection[Conflict<br>Detection] --- ErrorMonitoring[Error<br>Monitoring]
            class ConfidenceEstimation,UncertaintyQuantification,ConflictDetection,ErrorMonitoring subcomponent
        end

        subgraph DecisionStrategies["Decision Strategies"]
            direction TB
            class DecisionStrategies component
            CompensatoryStrategies[Compensatory<br>Strategies] --- NonCompensatoryStrategies[Non-Compensatory<br>Strategies]
            ExplorationStrategies[Exploration<br>Strategies] --- ExploitationStrategies[Exploitation<br>Strategies]
            AdaptiveStrategies[Adaptive<br>Strategies] --- MetaDecisionStrategies[Meta-Decision<br>Strategies]
            class CompensatoryStrategies,NonCompensatoryStrategies,ExplorationStrategies,ExploitationStrategies,AdaptiveStrategies,MetaDecisionStrategies subcomponent
        end
    end

    %% External connections
    Goals[Goal<br>System] --> OptionEvaluation
    Memory[Memory<br>System] --> ReasoningEngine
    HealthSystem[Health<br>System] --> EmotionalProcessing
    AttentionSystem[Attention<br>System] --> OptionSelection

    %% Internal connections
    OptionEvaluation --> UtilityCalculation
    ReasoningEngine --> OptionEvaluation
    UtilityCalculation --> OptionSelection
    CognitiveBiases --> UtilityCalculation
    EmotionalProcessing --> UtilityCalculation
    SocialFactors --> UtilityCalculation
    ExecutiveMonitoring --> OptionSelection
    DecisionStrategies --> OptionSelection

    %% Bidirectional connections
    ReasoningEngine <--> CognitiveBiases
    ExecutiveMonitoring <--> DecisionStrategies

    %% Output connections
    OptionSelection --> DecisionOutput[Decision<br>Output]
    ExecutiveMonitoring --> ConfidenceOutput[Confidence<br>Output]

    %% Node styling
    class Goals,Memory,HealthSystem,AttentionSystem,DecisionOutput,ConfidenceOutput external

Decision Making System Components¶

The NCA decision-making system provides mechanisms for evaluating options, reasoning about choices, calculating utilities, and selecting optimal actions. It consists of the following key components:

Core Decision Components¶

Option Evaluation:
Feature Extraction: Extracts relevant features from options
Feature Analysis: Analyzes the extracted features
Multi-Criteria Evaluation: Evaluates options against multiple criteria
Consistency Checks: Checks for consistency in evaluations
Reasoning Engine:
Logical Reasoning: Applies formal logic to decision-making
Causal Reasoning: Reasons about cause-effect relationships
Inductive Reasoning: Generates conclusions from specific observations
Deductive Reasoning: Applies general rules to specific instances
Abstract Reasoning: Handles abstract concepts and relationships
Analogy Reasoning: Reasons using analogies and similarities
Utility Calculation:
Cost Computation: Calculates costs of options
Benefit Computation: Calculates benefits of options
Risk Analysis: Analyzes risks associated with options
Reward Evaluation: Evaluates potential rewards
Discounting Mechanism: Applies temporal discounting to future outcomes
Probability Weighting: Weights outcomes by their probabilities
Option Selection:
Max Utility Selector: Selects the option with maximum utility
Probabilistic Selector: Makes selections probabilistically based on utility
Satisficing Selector: Selects the first option that meets criteria
Multi-Objective Optimizer: Optimizes across multiple objectives
Threshold-Based Selector: Selects options based on thresholds
Heuristic Selector: Uses heuristics for rapid selection

Cognitive Influences¶

Cognitive Biases:
Confirmation Bias: Preference for confirming existing beliefs
Anchoring Bias: Over-reliance on initial information
Availability Bias: Overestimation of easily recalled information
Sunk Cost Bias: Consideration of unrecoverable past costs
Framing Bias: Influence of how options are presented
Status Quo Bias: Preference for the current state
Emotional Processing:
Emotional Appraisal: Evaluates emotional significance
Emotional Regulation: Regulates emotional impact on decisions
Affective Forecasting: Predicts future emotional states
Emotional Memory: Uses emotional memory in decisions
Social Factors:
Norm Alignment: Aligns decisions with social norms
Social Utility: Considers social outcomes in utility
Fairness Assessment: Evaluates fairness of outcomes
Reciprocity Mechanisms: Considers reciprocal relationships

Executive Monitoring¶

Confidence Estimation: Estimates confidence in decisions
Uncertainty Quantification: Quantifies uncertainty in decisions
Conflict Detection: Detects conflicts in decision processes
Error Monitoring: Monitors for decision errors

Decision Strategies¶

Compensatory Strategies: Balances strengths and weaknesses across attributes
Non-Compensatory Strategies: Uses attribute-specific rules without compensation
Exploration Strategies: Focuses on exploring unknown options
Exploitation Strategies: Focuses on exploiting known options
Adaptive Strategies: Adapts strategies based on context
Meta-Decision Strategies: Decides how to make decisions

External Connections¶

The decision-making system connects with: - Goal System: For goal-directed decision-making - Memory System: For retrieving relevant information - Health System: For health-aware decision-making - Attention System: For focusing on relevant aspects of decisions

Output Connections¶

The decision-making system produces: - Decision Output: Final selected decision - Confidence Output: Confidence in the decision

The decision-making system is designed to provide flexible, context-aware decision capabilities that can balance rational computation with cognitive biases and emotional factors, inspired by human decision-making processes.