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Tan H, Li T, Huang L, Duan Q, Fan L, Yu M, Wang J, DNA G, Luo S. Genetic placebo effect on psychological resilience: the moderating role of self-compassion. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03426-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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2
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Neoh MJY, Setoh P, Bizzego A, Tandiono M, Foo JN, Lee A, Bornstein MH, Esposito G. Gene-Environment Interactions in Face Categorization: Oxytocin Receptor Genotype x Childcare Experience Shortens Reaction Time. Front Psychol 2022; 13:873676. [PMID: 35756198 PMCID: PMC9222134 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.873676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Human faces capture attention, provide information about group belonging, and elicit automatic prepared responses. Early experiences with other-race faces play a critical role in acquiring face expertise, but the exact mechanism through which early experience exerts its influence is still to be elucidated. Genetic factors and a multi-ethnic context are likely involved, but their specific influences have not been explored. This study investigated how oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) genotypes and childcare experience interacted to regulate face categorization in adults. Information about single nucleotide polymorphisms of OXTR (rs53576) and experiences with own- and other-race child caregivers was collected from 89 Singaporean adults, who completed a visual categorization task with own- versus other-race faces. Participants were grouped into A/A homozygotes and G carriers and assigned a score to account for their type of child caregiver experience. A multivariate linear regression model was used to estimate the effect of genetic group, child caregiver experience, and their interaction on categorization reaction time. A significant interaction of genetic group and child caregiver experience (t = 2.48, p = 0.015), as well as main effects of both genetic group (t = −2.17, p = 0.033) and child caregiver experience (t = −4.29, p < 0.001) emerged. Post-hoc analysis revealed that the correlation between categorization reaction time and child caregiver experience was significantly different between the two genetic groups. A significant gene x environment interaction on face categorization appears to represent an indirect pathway through which genes and experiences interact to shape mature social sensitivity to faces in human adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Jin Yee Neoh
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Peipei Setoh
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Andrea Bizzego
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Moses Tandiono
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Human Genetics, Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jia Nee Foo
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Human Genetics, Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Albert Lee
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Marc H Bornstein
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States.,Institute for Fiscal Studies, London, United Kingdom.,UNICEF, New York, NY, United States
| | - Gianluca Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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3
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He L, Liu J, Fan Y, Leng J, Wang Q, Yang C, zhang R, Guo W, Zhang J, Gong P. The OXTR rs53576 Impacts Moral Permissibility of Attempted but Failed Harms in Populations of Students and Prisoners. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2022; 17:923-928. [PMID: 35275212 PMCID: PMC9527464 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsac015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has highlighted the roles of oxytocin in empathy and altruistic behaviors. Based on these findings, recent studies have examined the association between the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and outcome-based moral judgment with sacrificial dilemmas (e.g. runaway trolley case). However, little is known about the relationships between OXTR polymorphisms and intent-based moral judgment of harms (e.g. attempted but failed harm or intentionally committed harm). This study investigated the association between the OXTR rs53576 and intent-based moral judgment in college students (N = 544) and prisoners (N = 540). Results indicated that both students and prisoners with the GG genotype of OXTR rs53576 rated attempted but failed harm as less permissible than those with the AA and AG genotypes. These findings highlight the role of the OXTR gene in intent-based moral judgment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin He
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Jinting Liu
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yuhe Fan
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Junhui Leng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Quanhe Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Cuimei Yang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Rui zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Wenxuan Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Jieting Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Pingyuan Gong
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
- College of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
- Institute of Population and Health, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
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4
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Yu M, Huang L, Mao J, Dna G, Luo S. Childhood Maltreatment, Automatic Negative Thoughts, and Resilience: The Protective Roles of Culture and Genes. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2022; 37:349-370. [PMID: 32189557 DOI: 10.1177/0886260520912582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Resilience, a psychological trait conceptualized as the ability to recover from setbacks, can be weakened by childhood maltreatment, which comprises childhood abuse and childhood neglect. The current study aimed to investigate whether childhood maltreatment could increase automatic negative thoughts (ANT), thus weakening resilience. Furthermore, as psychological characteristics are commonly subject to the moderating effects of cultural context and biology, the study also explored whether and how cultural and genetic factors separately interact with childhood maltreatment to predict resilience. In study 1, the participants comprised 237 American and 347 Chinese individuals; study 2 included 428 genotyped Chinese individuals. We combined regression, mediation, moderation, and machine learning methods to test the mediating effect of ANT on the link between childhood maltreatment and resilience as well as the moderating roles of culture and genetics. Study 1 found that both childhood abuse and childhood neglect increased ANT and thus weakened resilience. In addition, the ANT-mediating effects of childhood neglect were stronger in American than Chinese participants. In Study 2, using the leave-one-out approach, we constructed two separate prediction models based on 22 and 16 important single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and we found that the interaction between childhood abuse/neglect and polygenic scores based on important SNPs could predict ANT. The mediating effects of ANT on the relationship between childhood abuse/neglect and resilience were significant for participants with low polygenic scores but not for those with high polygenic scores. In conclusion, both the cultural environment and individual genetic makeup moderated the mediating effects of ANT on the association between childhood maltreatment and resilience. These findings indicated the roles of culture and genetics in protecting against the adverse effects of childhood maltreatment on resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meihua Yu
- Department of Psychology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lingling Huang
- Department of Psychology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaqi Mao
- Department of Psychology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gese Dna
- Beijing Gese Technology Co., Ltd., China
| | - Siyang Luo
- Department of Psychology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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5
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Parry DA, Davidson BI, Sewall CJR, Fisher JT, Mieczkowski H, Quintana DS. A systematic review and meta-analysis of discrepancies between logged and self-reported digital media use. Nat Hum Behav 2021; 5:1535-1547. [PMID: 34002052 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01117-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
There is widespread public and academic interest in understanding the uses and effects of digital media. Scholars primarily use self-report measures of the quantity or duration of media use as proxies for more objective measures, but the validity of these self-reports remains unclear. Advancements in data collection techniques have produced a collection of studies indexing both self-reported and log-based measures. To assess the alignment between these measures, we conducted a pre-registered meta-analysis of this research. Based on 106 effect sizes, we found that self-reported media use correlates only moderately with logged measurements, that self-reports were rarely an accurate reflection of logged media use and that measures of problematic media use show an even weaker association with usage logs. These findings raise concerns about the validity of findings relying solely on self-reported measures of media use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas A Parry
- Department of Information Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
| | - Brittany I Davidson
- School of Management, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Craig J R Sewall
- School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jacob T Fisher
- College of Media, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | | | - Daniel S Quintana
- NORMENT, Center for Psychosis Research, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Associations between oxytocin and empathy in humans: A systematic literature review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 129:105268. [PMID: 34023733 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
This is a systematic review about the association between empathic behavior and oxytocin (OXT). Searches were conducted in the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, SciELO, and LILACS using the search terms "oxytocin", "empathy", and "empathic". Forty-four studies were reviewed. Scarce findings point to a lack of association between baseline endogenous OXT levels and empathy traits, and for a trend towards a direct relationship between oxytocinergic reactivity and empathic functioning. The results showed that variations in empathy were related to polymorphisms in the OXT receptor gene, especially in rs53576, and that this relationship seems to mediated by individual, ethnic, and cultural characteristics. Most studies on the exogenous administration of OXT tested a single dose (24 IU) with positive effects mainly on the affective domain of empathy. At the neural level, findings were inconsistent. Taken together, the results of the studies reviewed support the existence of a relationship between OXT and empathy that is complex and multifaceted. Robust evidence is still needed to elucidate existing links. Future investigations could benefit from methodological improvements aimed at increasing the reproducibility and applicability of findings, as well as the systematic assessment of the effects of exogenous OXT considering dose and frequency of administration, genotyping, and hormonal availability at the peripheral and central levels. This should lead to significant progress in the understanding of the therapeutic possibilities of OXT in the domain of empathic behavior.
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Liao W, Zhang Y, Huang X, Xu X, Peng X. "Emoji, I can feel your pain" - Neural responses to facial and emoji expressions of pain. Biol Psychol 2021; 163:108134. [PMID: 34116087 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The facial expression of pain is a universal social language that transcends cultures and societies. Gaining increasing popularity, emoji is now widely used to express emotional states during digital communication. Yet, it remains unclear whether emoji expression of pain can be processed as effectively as facial expression. This event-related brain potential (ERP) study investigates whether perception of pain expressions in emoji shares similarity with faces. Participants judged pain or neutral expressions in emoji and faces in a classic empathy paradigm. A dynamic convergent-divergent-convergent process was found during the observation of pain expressions. While the recognition for pain is better for faces than for emoji (both in accuracy and reaction time), we found similar P2 amplitudes during the early stage of processing and similar LPP amplitudes during later stage. Interestingly, the neural response diverges during P3 and N2 between faces and emoji: P3 respond more strongly to pain expression (relative to neutral) in faces, whereas N2 respond more strongly to pain expression (relative to neutral) in emoji. Our findings point to the commonality of perceiving pain in faces and in emoji, as well as the distinct salience of detecting pain in faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanying Liao
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, PR China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Economics and Business Administration, Bridgewater College, VA, 22812, USA
| | - Xiaohan Huang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, PR China
| | - Xiaoyu Xu
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, PR China
| | - Xiaozhe Peng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, PR China.
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8
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Wei W, Lin Y, Hong T, Team GR, Luo S. Maternal rearing styles and loneliness: The moderating role of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-01639-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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9
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Butovskaya ML, Karelin DV, Dronova DA, Filatova VO, Butovskaya PR, Tishkov VA. Strategies for Sharing Limited Resources among Children and Adolescents in Three Traditional Societies of East Africa: Sociocultural and Genetic Factors. DOKLADY BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES : PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USSR, BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES SECTIONS 2020; 494:219-224. [PMID: 33083876 DOI: 10.1134/s001249662004002x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Egalitarianism, pursuit for equality, and altruism are the most important evolutionarily stable strategies in the human society. This study presents data on the results of economic games for sharing with a potential friend or unfamiliar peer in three ethnic groups of East Africa (Hadza, Iraqw, and Meru). The total sample was 583 children and adolescents; mean age, 13.5 ± 3.1 years. In addition, DNA analysis was carried out and the OXTR gene rs53576 single nucleotide polymorphism was genotyped for 162 Meru individuals. The pronounced individual variability in making decisions on sharing with a potential partner was established. Children and adolescents behaved altruistically towards friends significantly more frequently as compared with strangers. Carriers of the OXTR rs53576 GG variant displayed altruism significantly more frequently both to friends (U = 3376.500, p = 0.047; OR = 3.075, p = 0.032) and to strangers (U = 3478.000, p = 0.025; OR = 3.133, p = 0.007). Significant intergroup differences in egalitarianism, egoism, and altruism were also demonstrated. Data obtained suggest a positive group selection towards altruists.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Butovskaya
- Miklouho-Maclay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
| | - D V Karelin
- Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119017, Moscow, Russia
| | - D A Dronova
- Miklouho-Maclay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - V O Filatova
- Miklouho-Maclay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - P R Butovskaya
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - V A Tishkov
- Miklouho-Maclay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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10
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Pehlivanoglu D, Myers E, Ebner NC. Tri-Phasic Model ofOxytocin (TRIO): A systematic conceptual review of oxytocin-related ERP research. Biol Psychol 2020; 154:107917. [PMID: 32512020 PMCID: PMC7556712 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2020.107917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has been shown to play a role in variety of cognitive and social processes and different hypotheses have been put forth to explain OT's effects on brain and behavior in humans. However, these previous explanatory accounts do not provide information about OT-related temporal modulation in the brain. OBJECTIVES This paper systematically reviewed intranasal OT administration studies employing event-related potentials (ERPs) and synthesized the existing evidence into a novel conceptual framework. METHODS Empirical studies, published until February 2020 and cited in major databases (EBSCOhost, PubMed, and Web of Science), were examined in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. To be included, studies had to: (i) employ intranasal administration of OT, as the chemical modulator; (ii) measure ERPs; (iii) be peer-reviewed journal articles; (iv) be written in English; and (v) examine human participants. RESULTS The search criteria yielded 17 empirical studies. The systematic review resulted in conceptualization of the Tri-Phasic Model ofOxytocin (TRIO), which builds on three processing stages: (i) perception, (ii) selection, and (iii) evaluation. While OT increases attention irrespective of stimuli characteristics in the perception stage, in the selection and evaluation stages, OT acts as a filter to guide attention selectively towards social over non-social stimuli and modulates prosociality/approach motivation associated with social stimuli. CONCLUSIONS TRIO offers an empirically-derived conceptual framework that can guide the study of OT-related modulation on attentional processes, starting very early in the processing stream. This novel account furthers theoretical understanding and informs empirical investigation into OT modulation on the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didem Pehlivanoglu
- University of Florida, Contact Information Didem Pehlivanoglu Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Dr, Gainesville, FL 32603, United States.
| | - Elisha Myers
- University of Florida, Contact Information Didem Pehlivanoglu Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Dr, Gainesville, FL 32603, United States
| | - Natalie C Ebner
- University of Florida, Contact Information Didem Pehlivanoglu Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Dr, Gainesville, FL 32603, United States
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Luo S, Zhu Y, Fan L, Gao D, Han S. Resting-state brain network properties mediate the association between the oxytocin receptor gene and interdependence. Soc Neurosci 2020; 15:296-310. [PMID: 31928145 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2020.1714718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
While an increasing number of behavioral findings have provided gene-culture coevolution accounts of human development, whether and how the brain mediates gene-culture associations remain unresolved. Based on the Culture-Behavior-Brain-Loop Model and the recent finding of associations between the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR, rs53576) and a cultural trait (i.e., interdependence) across populations, we tested the hypothesis that resting-state brain network properties mediate the relationship between OXTR rs53576 and interdependence. G and A allele carriers of OXTR rs53576 were scanned during a resting state using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and completed questionnaires to estimate their interdependence cultural values. We identified significant genotype effects on the local network metrics of the right hippocampus and its functional connectivity with the medial prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, basal ganglia and thalamus. The local network metrics of the right hippocampus and its functional connectivity with the basal ganglia and thalamus were correlated with interdependence. Moreover, both the degree of the right hippocampus and its functional connectivity with the basal ganglia and thalamus mediated the relationship between OXTR and interdependence. Our results provide brain imaging evidence for a key function of the brain in mediating the relationship between genes and culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyang Luo
- Department of Psychology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University , Guangzhou China
| | - Yiyi Zhu
- Department of Psychology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University , Guangzhou China.,School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas , Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Leyi Fan
- Department of Psychology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University , Guangzhou China
| | - Dingguo Gao
- Department of Psychology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University , Guangzhou China
| | - Shihui Han
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University , Beijing, China
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Cerniglia L, Bartolomeo L, Capobianco M, Lo Russo SLM, Festucci F, Tambelli R, Adriani W, Cimino S. Intersections and Divergences Between Empathizing and Mentalizing: Development, Recent Advancements by Neuroimaging and the Future of Animal Modeling. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:212. [PMID: 31572143 PMCID: PMC6754072 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Both mentalization and empathy allow humans to understand others, through the representation of their mental states or their mood, respectively. The present review aims to explain those characteristics which are shared between empathy and the Theory of Mind. Research in neuroscience, based on naturalistic paradigms, has shown that abilities to mentalize and to empathize are associated with the activation of different neuro-cognitive circuits. As far as mirror-neuron processes are concerned, some structures (like Anterior Insula, AI; Anterior Cingulate Cortex, ACC) play a role both in the representation of one's own affective states and in comprehension of the same affective state when experienced by others. As for mentalization, the temporal parietal junction (TPj) and temporal poles (TP), the upper posterior temporal sulcus (pSTS) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are greatly involved: the latter appears involved in the attribution of one's own and others' temperaments. Interestingly, the ventral/orbital portion of the PFC (orbito-frontal cortex, OFC) is involved in subserving shared affective experience during cognitive mentalizing. This brain region represents a point of overlap, from a psycho-biological point of view, where emotional mirroring and affective cognition meet up. As for animal models, laboratory rodents can well be tested for prosocial behavior. Some examples include deliberate actions, allowing another conspecific the possibility to feed ("giving food"): this willingness can vary across donors, depending on how the recipient is perceived. Other examples include the possibility to let a trapped conspecific come out ("giving help"). The state-of-the-art knowledge about this theme can inform the programming of specific clinical interventions, based on the reinforcement of empathic and/or mentalization abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Cerniglia
- Faculty of Psychology, International Telematic University Uninettuno, Rome, Italy
| | - Letizia Bartolomeo
- Faculty of Psychology, International Telematic University Uninettuno, Rome, Italy
| | - Micaela Capobianco
- Faculty of Psychology, International Telematic University Uninettuno, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Lucia M. Lo Russo
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy
| | - Fabiana Festucci
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy
| | - Renata Tambelli
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Walter Adriani
- Faculty of Psychology, International Telematic University Uninettuno, Rome, Italy
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Cimino
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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