The Controllability Hypothesis: Near-miss effect points to common neurological machinery in posterior parietal cortex for controllable objects and concepts

In this paper I postulate that the processing of concepts which are deemed controllable is rooted in neurological machinery located in the posterior parietal cortex specialised for the processing of objects which are immediately actionable because they are within reach. This is demonstrated with reference to the near-miss effect in gambling behaviour, where it is argued that the configurative proximity of the near-miss outcome to the win outcome creates the impression that the win outcome is ‘almost within reach’ or controllable. The perceived realisability of the desired outcome increases subjective reward probability and the associated expected action value, which impacts decision-making and behaviour. When extended to substance addiction, this novel hypothesis adds fresh insight into understanding the motivational effects associated with cue-exposure and opportunity for drug-taking. Moreover, by postulating that a perception of control can be generated to minimise unpleasant affective states, it can also reconcile contrasting models of decision-making and provide a neurological explanation for the efficacy of mindfulness-based techniques in treating addictions. With reference to the previously-hypothesised link between the self and control, these ideas can provide an explanation for the increased subjective value of self-associated concepts in the ‘endowment effect’, as well as a neurological correlate for the concept of the ‘narrative self’. This paper therefore provides an innovative and unifying perspective for the study and treatment of behavioural and substance addictions as well as contributing to our neurological understanding of philosophical approaches to the self.