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To Control Others Your Brain Tries to Predict Two (or more) Steps Ahead
What do you mean two steps?
Well, first let’s explain why this research is interesting. First off, there has been a lot of research into motor movement and navigation where we know we preempt next steps. But to measure this in social influence situation is novel (and important).
Second, they also used brain scans to find out how this was playing out in the brain.
Two steps or more means pre-empting not the response to your comment or proposal, but the response to what you propose to their next response.
And how did they measure this?
First they recruited 48 participants who they also brain scanned and who played versions of the ultimatum game. This is commonly used in behavioural research.
In the ultimatum game one person is given some money and can then split it with other participants. If the other participant(s) accept the offer you both keep the money. However, if the other participant(s) rejects the offer then you both lose the money.
It is simple, but requires thinking about what others will do and what is an optimal proposal. In this study they used different versions e.g. being able to update offers and playing against computers.
