ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an introduction to fundamental aspects of neurophysiology relevant to the development of the neurophysiological model. In the context of the neural basis of reinforcement, it describes neuronal structure and function, including an account of the central nervous system (, action potentials and neurotransmission, synaptic communication, long-term potentiation, the mesolimbocortical system, and reward prediction errors. In the context of the neural basis of emotion and affect, it discusses the neurophysiology of pleasure, arousal, and dominance, and introduces the crucial distinction between “liking” and “wanting.” The neurophysiological conception of neural value provided by BPM-N is an independent measure of valuation which makes it possible, first, to investigate consumer valuation scientifically and, second, to critically appraise the accounts of consumer behavior and action which the other BPM models present. The distinction between reinforcement and reward is emphasized and underpinned by the various neurophysiological substrates whose activity correlates with these behavioral outcomes. This is illustrated by reference to Damasio’s somatic marker hypothesis. The chapter acts as a bridge between the presentation of the neurophysiological model of consumer choice and the consideration in neuroscientific terms of the conceptual dual process depiction based on BPM-E and BPM-I.
