Foundations of Neuroeconomics: History and Methods

Neuroeconomics is an interdisciplinary field integrating neuroscience, psychology, and economics to understand how people make decisions. Departing from traditional economic models, which infer preferences solely from observed choices, neuroeconomics seeks to elucidate how the brain computes value, updates beliefs, manages uncertainty, and incorporates social information. This section introduces foundational studies that defined the early trajectory of the field, establishing core concepts, questions, and methodologies. It also presents key empirical and computational methods—such as neuroimaging, reinforcement learning models, lesion studies, and behavioral economic tasks—that have become standard approaches in neuroeconomics. Collectively, these contributions provide an essential starting point for understanding both the historical context and future directions of neuroeconomic research.