the part of your brain that is involved in complex cognitive functions, such as making decisions, planning, and reasoning, is called the prefrontal cortex (5). the prefrontal cortex has several functions: It is involved in remembering and experiencing emotions even when the fear object is not present, such as when you tell a friend about your wolf encounter and again feel fear or recall a joke and laugh; it is also involved in anticipating and analyzing the potential rewards, punishments, and emotional consequences of performing or not performing certain behaviors