psychobiology lecture 5

Name three areas of the brain involved in social cognition.

Interparietal sulcus, anterior cingulate cortex, inferior frontal gyrus.

What is the role of the medial prefrontal cortex in social cognition?

It is one of the key areas involved in understanding social interactions and self-referential thinking.

How does our social environment affect our brain according to Sallet et al.?

The social environment influences brain structure and function, impacting social cognition.

List two additional areas of the brain associated with the social brain.

Temporoparietal junction and posterior superior temporal sulcus.

What is the significance of the anterior insula in social cognition?

It is involved in emotional awareness and empathy.

What brain regions are associated with larger social groups in macaques?

Larger volumes in mid-superior temporal sulcus (STS) and rostral prefrontal cortex (rPFC).

How much volume increase in STS and rPFC is associated with each additional member of a social network?

A 5% volume increase.

What role does the amygdala play in the social brain?

It acts as a hub with connections to other relevant cortical and subcortical regions.

What is the function of the perception network in social interactions?

It performs sensory processes involved in detecting, decoding, and interpreting social signals.

Which brain regions are activated when responding to socially salient stimuli?

Ventrolateral amygdala and lateral orbitofrontal cortex.

What structural differences are observed in patients with impaired perception of facial expressions?

Differences in the amygdala, lateral orbitofrontal cortex, and temporal pole.

What is the affiliation network responsible for?

Motivating prosocial or affiliative behaviors, such as comforting loved ones.

Which regions are involved in the affiliation network?

Medial amygdala, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, and ventromedial striatum.

What is the relationship between grey matter in vmPFC and empathy?

Decreased grey matter in vmPFC and ACC is associated with diminished empathy and interpersonal warmth.

What does the aversion network enable?

Avoidant behaviors, such as avoiding untrustworthy-appearing strangers.

Which brain regions are part of the aversion network?

Rostrodorsal amygdala and caudal anterior cingulate cortex.

What kind of feedback does the aversion network respond to?

Untrustworthy faces and negative social feedback that elicits social aversion.

How does frontotemporal dementia affect trust in strangers?

Patients with atrophy in the aversion network are more willing to trust strangers and more likely to fall for scams.

What is empathy defined as?

The natural capacity to share, understand, and respond with care to the affective states of others.

What brain regions are activated during empathy for pain?

Anterior insula (AI), rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), brainstem, and cerebellum.

What is the relationship between empathy scores and brain activation?

Higher empathy scores correlate with stronger activation in ACC and AI.

What is the significance of the anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex in empathy?

They are involved in processing the affective component of pain.

What is the role of cognitive appraisal in empathy according to Lamm et al.?

It influences how we empathize with others based on their perceived likeability.

What brain regions are activated during empathic pain-related responses?

Anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex.

What type of response is activated in the network for self-other distinction?

Bottom-up affective response to aversive stimuli.

What is vicarious embarrassment and which brain regions are activated during it?

Vicarious embarrassment involves observing social norm violations and activates regions associated with empathic concern (anterior cingulate cortex), Theory of Mind (middle temporal gyrus), and social identity (inferior frontal gyrus).

What is psychological altruism?

A reaction to the signals and situation of another individual that involves attempting to alleviate the other's negative state without any clear, immediate benefit to oneself.

What distinguishes altruistic choices from strategic choices in giving?

Altruistic choices involve no extrinsic reward but provide intrinsic satisfaction, while strategic choices involve extrinsic rewards such as reciprocity or reputation.

Which brain regions are activated in both altruistic and strategic giving?

Nucleus accumbens (NuAcc), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC).

Which brain region is more strongly activated during altruistic choices compared to strategic choices?

Subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, which is involved in intrinsic motivation.

What is the role of the nucleus accumbens in strategic choices?

It is more strongly activated in strategic choices, indicating that extrinsic rewards may evoke stronger responses than intrinsic rewards.

What distinguishes the posterior vmPFC from the anterior vmPFC in decision-making?

The posterior vmPFC is more active in altruistic decisions involving concrete primary rewards, while the anterior vmPFC is more active in strategic decisions involving abstract secondary rewards.

What brain regions are involved in the reward circuits activated by social media interactions?

Striatum and ventral tegmental area.

What is the significance of the anterior cingulate cortex in decision-making?

It is involved in deciding between altruistic and strategic options.

What is the 'warm glow' effect in altruistic behavior?

It refers to the intrinsic satisfaction or positive feeling experienced during charitable donations.

What role does the ventromedial prefrontal cortex play in social decision-making?

It is active in both altruistic and strategic choices, facilitating social decision-making.

What is the importance of being able to put oneself in another person's shoes in experiencing vicarious embarrassment?

It is necessary to empathize and understand the feelings of others to experience vicarious embarrassment.

What is the impact of social identity on vicarious embarrassment?

Social identity is activated during vicarious embarrassment, highlighting the role of group dynamics in emotional responses.

What does the anterior vmPFC's activation during strategic choices suggest?

It suggests that strategic choices often involve considerations of abstract rewards such as money.

What is the focus of the study by Gotlieb et al. (2021) on adolescents?

The study examines how adolescents' developing abilities to think abstractly converge with their strong social emotions, influencing their feelings about complex social issues.

What methods were used in Gotlieb et al. (2021) to study adolescents' social thought?

Adolescents watched mini-documentaries in an fMRI scanner and discussed them in open-ended interviews.

Which brain regions are associated with abstract construals in adolescents according to Gotlieb et al. (2021)?

Activity in the Default Mode Network, including the dorsomedial PFC, ventromedial PFC, and inferior/posterior posteromedial cortices.

What is the significance of the Default Mode Network in social cognition?

It is active during daydreaming and imagining, helping to build meaning and make social-psychological inferences.

What was the aim of the stoplight task in Chein et al. (2011)?

To measure the time taken to drive to the end of the street while making decisions about running amber stop lights versus waiting.

How did peer presence affect adolescents' decision-making in the stoplight task?

Adolescents made riskier decisions when peers were present compared to when they were alone.

Which brain regions showed heightened activity in adolescents when peers were present during risk-taking tasks?

The ventral striatum and lateral prefrontal cortex.

What correlation was found between reward activation in the ventral striatum and peer influence?

Participants with stronger reward activation reported being less resistant to peer influence in everyday life.

What was the relationship between distress during social exclusion and brain activity in Masten et al. (2009)?

Higher distress during exclusion was associated with increased activity in the insula and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (subACC).

How did interpersonal competence relate to brain activity in the study by Masten et al. (2009)?

Higher parent-reported interpersonal competence was associated with increased subACC activity, indicating greater awareness of peer norms.

What is the significance of the ventral striatum in peer influence on risk-taking?

The ventral striatum is involved in reward processing and shows heightened activity when adolescents are with peers, influencing their risk-taking behavior.

What does the term 'abstract social thought' refer to in the context of Gotlieb et al. (2021)?

It refers to the ability of adolescents to think about complex social issues in a nuanced way, beyond just emotional responses.

How does the study by Gotlieb et al. (2021) contribute to understanding adolescent development?

It highlights the intersection of cognitive and emotional development in adolescents as they navigate social complexities.

What is the role of the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (subACC) in social cognition?

The subACC is involved in emotional regulation and social pain, and its activity can indicate how individuals process social exclusion.

What is the importance of understanding peer influence in adolescent behavior?

Understanding peer influence helps to explain risk-taking behaviors and social dynamics during a critical developmental period.

What does the term 'social exclusion' imply in psychological studies?

Social exclusion refers to the experience of being deliberately left out or ignored in social interactions, which can lead to emotional distress.