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Wei Z, Zhao Z, Zheng Y. Following the Majority: Social Influence in Trusting Behavior. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:89. [PMID: 30804747 PMCID: PMC6378867 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
When making decisions, people may change their behavior, sometimes against their personal preference, according to the opinions of peers. However, the effect of social influence on trust is still unknown. In our study, we used the event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate brain activity in social influence during a trust game. The behavioral results revealed that people tend to conform to others’ opinions and behaviors in a trust game. Decreased activations were observed in superior temporal gyrus during processing of social influences. Moreover, brain regions supporting value processing and reward learning were activated when subjects decided to follow the majority. These regions include the ventral medial prefrontal cortex, ventral striatum, and parahippocampal gyrus. Finally, our exploratory analysis revealed an increase in functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and the ventral striatum during conformity in trusting behavior. These findings indicate that the neural basis of social influence in trusting behavior are similar to the mechanisms implicated in reward learning. The brain regions involved in reward learning might reflect the reward value of agreeing with others in our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Wei
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (MOE), Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhiying Zhao
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yong Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (MOE), Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Socially Learned Attitude Change is not reduced in Medicated Patients with Schizophrenia. Sci Rep 2019; 9:992. [PMID: 30700729 PMCID: PMC6353936 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37250-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is often associated with distinctive or odd social behaviours. Previous work suggests this could be due to a general reduction in conformity; however, this work only assessed the tendency to publicly agree with others, which may involve a number of different mechanisms. In this study, we specifically investigated whether patients display a reduced tendency to adopt other people’s opinions (socially learned attitude change). We administered a computerized conformity task, assumed to rely on reinforcement learning circuits, to 32 patients with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder and 39 matched controls. Each participant rated 153 faces for trustworthiness. After each rating, they were immediately shown the opinion of a group. After approximately 1 hour, participants were unexpectedly asked to rate all the faces again. We compared the degree of attitude change towards group opinion in patients and controls. Patients presented equal or more social influence on attitudes than controls. This effect may have been medication induced, as increased conformity was seen with higher antipsychotic dose. The results suggest that there is not a general decline in conformity in medicated patients with schizophrenia and that previous findings of reduced conformity are likely related to mechanisms other than reinforcement based social influence on attitudes.
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Jacquet PO, Safra L, Wyart V, Baumard N, Chevallier C. The ecological roots of human susceptibility to social influence: a pre-registered study investigating the impact of early-life adversity. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:180454. [PMID: 30800337 PMCID: PMC6366227 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
There is considerable variability in the degree to which individuals rely on their peers to make decisions. Although theoretical models predict that environmental risks shift the cost-benefit trade-off associated with social information use, this idea has received little empirical support. Here we aim to test the effect of childhood environmental adversity on humans' susceptibility to follow others' opinion in the context of a standard face evaluation task. Results collected in a pilot study involving 121 adult participants tested online showed that susceptibility to social influence and childhood environmental adversity are positively associated. Computational analyses further confirmed that this effect is not explained by the fact that participants exposed to early adversity produce noisier decisions overall but that they are indeed more likely to follow the group's opinion. To test the robustness of these findings, a pre-registered direct replication using an optimal sample size was run. The results obtained from 262 participants in the pre-registered study did not reveal a significant association between childhood adversity and task performance but the meta-analysis ran on both the pilot and the pre-registered study replicated the initial finding. This work provides experimental evidence for an association between individuals' past ecology and their susceptibility to social influence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre O. Jacquet
- Laboratoire de neurosciences cognitives, Département d’études cognitives, École normale supérieure, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d’études cognitives, ENS, EHESS, CNRS, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Lou Safra
- Laboratoire de neurosciences cognitives, Département d’études cognitives, École normale supérieure, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Valentin Wyart
- Laboratoire de neurosciences cognitives, Département d’études cognitives, École normale supérieure, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Baumard
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d’études cognitives, ENS, EHESS, CNRS, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Coralie Chevallier
- Laboratoire de neurosciences cognitives, Département d’études cognitives, École normale supérieure, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
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Jacquet PO, Wyart V, Desantis A, Hsu YF, Granjon L, Sergent C, Waszak F. Human susceptibility to social influence and its neural correlates are related to perceived vulnerability to extrinsic morbidity risks. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13347. [PMID: 30190581 PMCID: PMC6127093 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31619-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans considerably vary in the degree to which they rely on their peers to make decisions. Why? Theoretical models predict that environmental risks shift the cost-benefit trade-off associated with the exploitation of others' behaviours (public information), yet this idea has received little empirical support. Using computational analyses of behaviour and multivariate decoding of electroencephalographic activity, we test the hypothesis that perceived vulnerability to extrinsic morbidity risks impacts susceptibility to social influence, and investigate whether and how this covariation is reflected in the brain. Data collected from 261 participants tested online revealed that perceived vulnerability to extrinsic morbidity risks is positively associated with susceptibility to follow peers' opinion in the context of a standard face evaluation task. We found similar results on 17 participants tested in the laboratory, and showed that the sensitivity of EEG signals to public information correlates with the participants' degree of vulnerability. We further demonstrated that the combination of perceived vulnerability to extrinsic morbidity with decoding sensitivities better predicted social influence scores than each variable taken in isolation. These findings suggest that susceptibility to social influence is partly calibrated by perceived environmental risks, possibly via a tuning of neural mechanisms involved in the processing of public information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre O Jacquet
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), Département d'Etudes Cognitives, INSERM U960, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, F-75005, Paris, France.
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'Etudes Cognitives, CNRS UMR8129, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, F-75005, Paris, France.
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France.
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, UMR 8242, 75006, Paris, France.
| | - Valentin Wyart
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), Département d'Etudes Cognitives, INSERM U960, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Andrea Desantis
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, UMR 8242, 75006, Paris, France
- Département Traitement de l'Information et Systèmes, ONERA, Salon-de-Provence, France
| | - Yi-Fang Hsu
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, UMR 8242, 75006, Paris, France
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counselling, National Taiwan Normal University, 10610, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Lionel Granjon
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, UMR 8242, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Claire Sergent
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, UMR 8242, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Florian Waszak
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, UMR 8242, 75006, Paris, France
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Costa M, Lio G, Gomez A, Sirigu A. How components of facial width to height ratio differently contribute to the perception of social traits. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0172739. [PMID: 28235081 PMCID: PMC5325523 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Facial width to height ratio (fWHR) is a morphological cue that correlates with sexual dimorphism and social traits. Currently, it is unclear how vertical and horizontal components of fWHR, distinctly capture faces' social information. Using a new methodology, we orthogonally manipulated the upper facial height and the bizygomatic width to test their selective effect in the formation of impressions. Subjects (n = 90) saw pair of faces and had to select the face expressing better different social traits (trustworthiness, aggressiveness and femininity). We further investigated how sex and fWHR components interact in the formation of these judgements. Across experiments, changes along the vertical component better predicted participants' ratings rather than the horizontal component. Faces with smaller height were perceived as less trustworthy, less feminine and more aggressive. By dissociating fWHR and testing the contribution of its components independently, we obtained a powerful and discriminative measure of how facial morphology guides social judgements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Costa
- Institute of Cognitive Science Marc Jeannerod, UMR5229, CNRS, UCBL, Lyon 1, Bron, France
- * E-mail: (MC); (AS)
| | - Guillaume Lio
- Institute of Cognitive Science Marc Jeannerod, UMR5229, CNRS, UCBL, Lyon 1, Bron, France
| | - Alice Gomez
- Institute of Cognitive Science Marc Jeannerod, UMR5229, CNRS, UCBL, Lyon 1, Bron, France
| | - Angela Sirigu
- Institute of Cognitive Science Marc Jeannerod, UMR5229, CNRS, UCBL, Lyon 1, Bron, France
- * E-mail: (MC); (AS)
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Edelson MG, Shemesh M, Weizman A, Yariv S, Sharot T, Dudai Y. Opposing effects of oxytocin on overt compliance and lasting changes to memory. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:966-73. [PMID: 25308350 PMCID: PMC4330510 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Revised: 09/28/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
From infancy we learn to comply with societal norms. However, overt compliance is not necessarily accompanied by a change in internal beliefs. The neuromodulatory processes underlying these different phenomena are not yet understood. Here, we test the role of oxytocin in controlling overt compliance versus internalization of information delivered by a social source. After intranasal oxytocin administration, participants showed enhanced compliance to the erroneous opinion of others. However, this expression was coupled with a decrease in the influence of others on long-term memories. Our data suggest that this dissociation may result from reduced conflict in the face of social pressure, which increases immediate conforming behavior, but reduces processing required for deep encoding. These findings reveal a neurobiological control system that oppositely affects internalization and overt compliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah G Edelson
- Department of Neurobiology, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel,Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Neurobiology department Weizmann institute, 234 Herzl St, Rehovot, Select state/region 7610001, Israel, Tel: +972 8 934 3711, Fax: +972 8 946 9244, E-mail:
| | - Maya Shemesh
- Department of Neurobiology, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Abraham Weizman
- Research Unit, Geha Mental Health Center and Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Beilinson Campus, Petach Tikva, Israel,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shahak Yariv
- Department of Neurobiology, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel,Department of Psychiatry, Haemek General Hospital, Afula, Israel
| | - Tali Sharot
- Department of Cognitive Perceptual and Brain Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Yadin Dudai
- Department of Neurobiology, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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A single dose of antidepressant alters eye-gaze patterns across face stimuli in healthy women. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:953-8. [PMID: 25194951 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3729-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early neurocognitive changes in emotional processing are seen following SSRI administration, which may be involved in mechanisms of action. However, the perceptual processes underpinning these effects have not been specified. METHODS In a double-blind, placebo-controlled eye-tracking study, we assessed the effect of single dose of citalopram (20 mg) in 25 healthy females. Face stimuli with direct and averted gaze were presented while visual scan patterns and pupil sizes were monitored. Subjective state was monitored using visual analogue scales. RESULTS There were no significant effects of citalopram on subjective state. However, the citalopram group displayed increased saccade numbers and shorter fixation duration during face viewing compared to the placebo group. Volunteers receiving citalopram also showed reduced monitoring of the eye region irrespective of the direct or averted eye position of the stimuli. The citalopram group also showed significantly larger pupil sizes than the control group. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the SSRI administration affects the perceptual processing of face stimuli. The current pattern of findings is consistent with anxiogenic-like mechanisms early on in SSRI treatment. Eye-tracking provides a novel method to characterise and detect these effects.
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Hogenelst K, Schoevers RA, aan het Rot M. Studying the neurobiology of human social interaction: Making the case for ecological validity. Soc Neurosci 2015; 10:219-29. [PMID: 25566795 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2014.994786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
With this commentary we make the case for an increased focus on the ecological validity of the measures used to assess aspects of human social functioning. Impairments in social functioning are seen in many types of psychopathology, negatively affecting the lives of psychiatric patients and those around them. Yet the neurobiology underlying abnormal social interaction remains unclear. As an example of human social neuroscience research with relevance to biological psychiatry and clinical psychopharmacology, this commentary discusses published experimental studies involving manipulation of the human brain serotonin system that included assessments of social behavior. To date, these studies have mostly been laboratory-based and included computer tasks, observations by others, or single-administration self-report measures. Most laboratory measures used so far inform about the role of serotonin in aspects of social interaction, but the relevance for real-life interaction is often unclear. Few studies have used naturalistic assessments in real life. We suggest several laboratory methods with high ecological validity as well as ecological momentary assessment, which involves intensive repeated measures in naturalistic settings. In sum, this commentary intends to stimulate experimental research on the neurobiology of human social interaction as it occurs in real life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen Hogenelst
- a School of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurosciences , University of Groningen , Groningen , The Netherlands
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