social cognition part 2 - mirror neurones/ EMPATHY

WATCH Last weeks video to unerstand empathy too

how od we test empathy and mirror neurons

mirror neuron

specialised neurones which activate both when a person is observing another’s actions nd they are performing the action themselves

who discovered mirror neurones

discussion of mirror neurones/ empathy

rizzolati et al,. discovered mirror neurones in the premotor cortex of macaques monkeys and coined the term - suggested basis for understanding others actions (1996)

later suggested could basis for empathy - humans emotional understanding (define term)

evidence for

lacoboni et al 1999

provided evidence that mirror neurones did exist in humans via fMRI

wicker et al 2003

singer et al,.2004 - empathy for pain

used fMRI to produce results which showed that the same brain regions such as the the anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC) activated when participants experienced pain and watched a loved one experience pain overlap - supports simulation theory

study criticised lamm et al outline criticisms -

question specificity and sensitivity of shared activations

criticised for methodoligal limitation of neuroimaging lack of imperial evidence - detract from studies value (Lamm et al, 2016) - explain what they are

patients experience congenital insensitivity to pain activate the aMCC when observing someone in pain, but not when they are experiencing pain themselves (Danziger et al,. 2009)

evidence that mirror neurons enable understanding

numerous neuroimaging studies evidence activation during action observation and action execution in brain regions consistent with the proposal of a human mirror neuron network (Caspers et al., 2010)

these areas are also have anatmoical pathways which convey visual infrormation about others actions

criticised by - argued mirror neurons not primarily responsible for enabling understand of others actions/ intentions / emotions

neuroscience has identified two fundamental components : self other distinction and shared emotions representations between the self and other

empathy

our capacity to understand and respond to the unique affective experiences of another person (decety, Jackson, 2004)

function -

optimises our relation between self perception and the perception of others

understanding others perspectives

evidence that mirror neurones effect empathy

mirror neurons means by which wee recognise other people experience emotions (Bastiannsen et al,. 2009)

R - proposed that MNs enables a critical physiological mechanism called embodied stimulation to occur - that enables us to represent other internal state within our own bodies

R - evidence - its connected to structures linked to emotional processing : studies found that mirror neuron network and limbic system - (region responsible for generating and processing emotions) is anatomically connected by the insula (function - mainly governs perception, awareness and emotion)

furthermoer

L- Philleps et al, 1997 experiemnts found that:

the experience of disgust and perceptions of facial expressions of disgust activate similar areas in the (anterior - close to thew forehead) insula

evidence -

1 - Wicker et al 2003

fMRI study found that when participants inhale oders which induce feelings of disgust - the anterior insula become activated

the same areas become activated when observing expressions of perceived disgust -

Computer morphing methods were used to generate a range of disgusted faces.- found that As the expressions of disgust became more intense, the BOLD response/ activation in the anterior insula increased. - evidencing insula activation increases when observing another persons expression of disgust increase

the same areas of the anterior insula were activated both when idnviidiuals experienced disgust and observed individuals express disgust - Wicker et al 2003

why disgust? - because it can be aroused experimentally

case study conducted on a patient with anterior insula damage who lost his ability to recognise disgust from facial expressions experienced. found that when presented with disgust inducing smell he felt less disgust than control participants (Calder et al,.2000)

^ evidence that regions in brain such as insula are integral in both individuals experiencing emotions but also enable yes to recognise emotional states epxeprieonced by others- micro neurone connects both regions together suggests it plays an integral role

the perception action model of empathy - assumes when perceiving another personal emotional state there same affective (mood) state is activated in the observe, trigger somatic and autonomic responses, enabling the observer to understand the other persons emotions by experiencing it

study on empathy pain

why? can be reliably activated

singer et al,.2004 (replicated and reviewed by others)

subjected participants to mild electric shocks via electrodes

there observed a loved one be subjected to the same chocks on their hand

fMRI study found that insula and anterior cingulate where both activated when one is experience pain and when perceiving loved ones experience pain - brain activity similar

the degree of brain activation correlated with the participants empathy/ ability to empathise - as participants which had high empathy scores in queestionnaires showed greatest afctivation in these areas when perceiving others epxperience pain

how do they calculate empathy scores- via questtionaires such as

• empathetic concern scale (EC . Davis)

• balanced emotional empathy scale (BEES, mehrabian)

reading - explain the perception action model of empathy

where Is the insula located?

which areas f the brain were activated when experiencing pain and watching a loved one/ partner experience pain

Empathy MCQ
a) Relies on an abstract evaluation of events
happening to other creatures.
b) Is encoded in the orbitofrontal cortex
c) Is encoded by memory systems of the medial
temporal lobe.
d) Is aided by different types of mirror neurons that
help to emulate what others perceive.
e) Is restricted to psychopaths.
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Answer - D

is empathy modulated by the perceived fairness of others?

singer / Raymond et al, 2006

subjects played a game with a “stranger”

exchange money with osmoen you either know or dont know

the game: variation of the Prisoner’s dilemma. First player can trust a second player by sending his/her 10 starting points (transferred to money at the end of the game) to the other player
knowing that each point sent will be tripled. The second player (confederate) then reciprocates
by sending an amount between 0 and 10 points back, which is also tripled.

Fair players reciprocate large amounts, unfair players reciprocate small amounts.

The first mover initially played with fair and unfair players outside the scanner and thus knew who was fair and who was unfair.
The first mover was then placed inside a scanner, and scanned when his own hands were painfully stimulated or when the hands of a fair player or of an unfair player were painfully stimulated.

findings

The activity in the anterior insula reflected the own person’s pain and differentially activated based on the ‘empathy’ they had with fair and unfair players.

men had more apathy for unfair player than women

lust for revenge was als measured

ask the person in scanner asked - would you like player (fair or unfair) to get punished? how much revenge do you want?

results - the nucleus accumbens increased in activation in men [who have more of a drive for revenge in the sample]) if player was punished

nucleus accumbens - a reward centre - (processes rewards and pleasurable stimuli and releases dopamine which makes us feel good - sent need to know bracket bit)

infer that we get pleasure/ joy from watching unfair player get punished - this effect and desire for revenge was stronger in men than in women

where is nucleus accumbens (n.acc) located in the brain?

(basal forebrain) - dont need to know

brain activation of n.acc correlates positivey with desire for revenge according to questionnaire

summary

1) Empathy activates brain networks that are
normally active when we (ourselves) perceive
pain, pleasure, fun, agony,.... .
2) The strength of empathy feelings is related to the
strength of ‘liking’ and that in turn differentially
activates empathy brain centers when feeling for
others.
3) Revenge (when obtained and desired) activates
centers in the brain that normally process
rewards.

key points - from both parts

1. The ‘self’ is likely processed by the ‘default mode
network’.
2. Orbitofrontal cortex is vital to monitor behaviour
according to social norms and to support decision
making.
3. Theory of mind tests activate the rTPJ, and other
structure involved in default mode processing.
4. Is empathy a reflection of mirror neuron activity?
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incorporate these into final notes - also do extra reading