1
|
Wang Y, Zhou W, Zhu J, Su Y. Schadenfreude or empathy? Children's emotional responses to the physical pain and pleasure of prosocial and antisocial others. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 245:105974. [PMID: 38823357 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2024.105974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Adults' emotional reactions to the pain and pleasure of others are influenced by the moral character of those individuals. However, it remains unclear whether children's emotional responses also show such selectivity. To investigate this, we compared 4- to 8-year-old children's emotional responses to the physical pain and pleasure of prosocial versus antisocial puppets. In Study 1, children reported unhappiness after witnessing the pain of the prosocial and antisocial puppets but reported less unhappiness after witnessing the pain of the antisocial puppet. In Study 2, children reported happiness after witnessing the pleasure of both puppets but reported being less happy for the antisocial puppet. These results suggest that children are less likely to empathize with antisocial individuals. Meanwhile, children did not display Schadenfreude (pleasure at others' pain) or Gluckschmerz (displeasure at others' pleasure) toward antisocial individuals in our studies. Moreover, the selectivity of children's emotional responses disappeared after we manipulated the physical competence rather than the moral character of the puppets in Study 3. Our findings help to reveal the moral selectivity of emotional responses to others' pleasure and pain during early childhood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiyi Wang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wen Zhou
- Division of Social Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, Jiangsu 215316, China
| | - Jingyun Zhu
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yanjie Su
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Trujillo-Llano C, Sainz-Ballesteros A, Suarez-Ardila F, Gonzalez-Gadea ML, Ibáñez A, Herrera E, Baez S. Neuroanatomical markers of social cognition in neglected adolescents. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 31:100642. [PMID: 38800539 PMCID: PMC11127280 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Growing up in neglectful households can impact multiple aspects of social cognition. However, research on neglect's effects on social cognition processes and their neuroanatomical correlates during adolescence is scarce. Here, we aimed to comprehensively assess social cognition processes (recognition of basic and contextual emotions, theory of mind, the experience of envy and Schadenfreude and empathy for pain) and their structural brain correlates in adolescents with legal neglect records within family-based care. First, we compared neglected adolescents (n = 27) with control participants (n = 25) on context-sensitive social cognition tasks while controlling for physical and emotional abuse and executive and intellectual functioning. Additionally, we explored the grey matter correlates of these domains through voxel-based morphometry. Compared to controls, neglected adolescents exhibited lower performance in contextual emotional recognition and theory of mind, higher levels of envy and Schadenfreude and diminished empathy. Physical and emotional abuse and executive or intellectual functioning did not explain these effects. Moreover, social cognition scores correlated with brain volumes in regions subserving social cognition and emotional processing. Our results underscore the potential impact of neglect on different aspects of social cognition during adolescence, emphasizing the necessity for preventive and intervention strategies to address these deficits in this population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catalina Trujillo-Llano
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | - Agustín Sainz-Ballesteros
- Department of Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Tübingen, Germany
- Department for High-Field Magnetic Resonance, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - María Luz Gonzalez-Gadea
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Universidad de San Andres, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Universidad de San Andres, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Latin American Brain Health (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eduar Herrera
- Universidad Icesi, Departamento de Estudios Psicológicos, Cali, Colombia
| | - Sandra Baez
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Schweiger Gallo I, Görke LA, Alonso MA, Herrero López R, Gollwitzer PM. Are different countries equally green with envy? A comparison of the everyday concept of envy in the United States, Spain, and Germany. Scand J Psychol 2024; 65:452-468. [PMID: 38124407 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Using a prototype approach to emotion concepts, we mapped the internal structure and content of the everyday concept of envy (as used in the United States) and its translation equivalents of envidia in Spanish and Neid in German. In Study 1 (total N = 415), the features of the concept of envy, envidia, and Neid were generated via an open-ended questionnaire. In Study 2 (total N = 404), participants rated the degree of typicality of the constitutive features on a forced-choice questionnaire. The prototype analysis of envy, supplemented with network analyses, revealed that the largest connected set of features of envy, envidia, and Neid shared a group of central features, including features related to success or to people with a better appearance. Still, envy, envidia, and Neid did differ with respect to their constituent peripheral features as well as the density of their networks, their structure, and the betweenness centrality of the nodes. These results suggest that a prototype approach combined with network analysis is a convenient approach for studying the internal structure of everyday emotion concepts and the degree of overlap with respect to the translation equivalents in different countries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Inge Schweiger Gallo
- Departamento de Antropología Social y Psicología Social, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
| | - Lucia A Görke
- Department of Psychology and Graduate School of Decision Sciences, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Miguel A Alonso
- Departamento de Psicología Social, del Trabajo y Diferencial, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcon, Spain
| | - Reyes Herrero López
- Departamento de Ciencia Política y de la Administración, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Liu JL, Yan L, Zhang YH, Gan JH, Yang LC. Lower class competence stereotypes of the upper class increase class conflict: mediation by intergroup envy and moderation by upward social mobility belief. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1360951. [PMID: 38873511 PMCID: PMC11169697 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1360951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Background With increasing gaps between the rich and poor, potential risk factors for class conflict have attracted increasing attention from researchers. Although cognitive factors are known to be significant predictors of class-conflict behavior, limited attention has been paid to competence stereotypes of the upper class. When considering economic inequality, people pay more attention to competence stereotypes of the upper class, which may have adverse effects. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between competence stereotypes held by the lower class about the upper class and class conflict, and to test the mediating role of intergroup envy in this relationship and the moderating role of upward social mobility belief. Methods Data were collected from a convenience sample from a comprehensive university in China. Based on scores on subjective and objective class scales, 284 lower-class college students (103 males and 181 females) aged 18-24 were selected to participate (both their subjective and objective scores were lower than 3 points). Their endorsement of upper-class competence stereotypes, intergroup envy, upward social mobility beliefs, and class conflict were measured using a well-validated self-report questionnaire. Results The main data were analyzed using correlation analysis, the SPSS macro PROCESS (Model 7), and simple slope analysis. The results show a significant positive correlation between competence stereotypes held by lower-class college students toward the higher class and class conflict, and this connection was mediated by intergroup envy. Moreover, the indirect effect of intergroup envy on this link was moderated by upward social mobility beliefs; this effect was stronger for college students with lower upward social mobility beliefs. Conclusion This study broadens our understanding of how and when competence stereotypes among the lower class concerning the upper class are related to class conflict. Researchers and policymakers should pay special attention to competence stereotypes of the upper class, especially intergroup envy and class conflict among lower-class individuals with lower levels of upward social mobility beliefs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Ling Liu
- College of Education and Sports Sciences, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
- Social Psychology Research Center of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Lei Yan
- College of Education and Sports Sciences, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
- Social Psychology Research Center of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Yan-Hong Zhang
- College of Education and Sports Sciences, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
- Social Psychology Research Center of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Jin-Hua Gan
- College of Education and Sports Sciences, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
- Social Psychology Research Center of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Lin-Chuan Yang
- College of Education, Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Xiang Y, Zhou Y. Bidirectional relations between altruistic tendency and benign/malicious envy among adolescents: A longitudinal study and weekly diary study. Dev Psychopathol 2024; 36:765-773. [PMID: 36939085 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423000044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
Altruism is a prosocial tendency that has developed through long-term evolutionary selection. The present study adopts social comparison and evolutionary psychology theories to examine how benign/malicious envy can affect altruism and how altruism can affect the two types of envy in turn, respectively. In Study 1, 513 adolescents participated in a three-wave longitudinal survey to explore the relationships between dispositional altruistic tendency and dispositional benign/malicious envy. The cross-lagged analysis showed a long-term and stable negative bidirectional relationship between dispositional altruistic tendency and dispositional malicious envy and a short-term positive bidirectional relationship between dispositional altruism and dispositional benign envy. In Study 2, 109 adolescents kept a weekly diary for seven consecutive weeks to record state levels of altruistic tendency and benign/malicious envy in their daily lives. The hierarchical linear model demonstrated that weekly altruistic tendency and weekly benign envy could positively predict each other, and weekly altruistic tendency presented a negative bidirectional relationship with weekly malicious envy. These findings offer an effective way to study the relationship between human behavior and emotions from perspectives of social comparison and evolutionary psychology theories. Meanwhile, it also has practical significance for the harmonious development of society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Xiang
- School of Teacher Education, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yue Zhou
- Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Polat Ş, Yeşil A, Afşar Doğrusöz L. The relationship between self-efficacy, malicious or benign envy in nurses: A cross-sectional study. Int Nurs Rev 2024. [PMID: 38176913 DOI: 10.1111/inr.12925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
AIM To determine whether nurses' self-efficacy affected envy levels and to develop the necessary strategies. BACKGROUND Envy is a widespread global phenomenon. Envy can harm the individual, the work environment, and nursing care. However, the relationships between self-efficacy and envy have not been adequately explored in the nursing context. METHODS This study was conducted as a cross-sectional descriptive study. The study sample consisted of 361 nurses working in a university hospital in a province of Türkiye. The research model was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The participants were selected using convenience sampling. This study was reported using the STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies. RESULTS Nurses' educational status affected their self-efficacy. No other personal characteristics influenced self-efficacy and envy. There was a positive relationship between malicious and benign envy. As nurses' self-efficacy increased, malicious envy decreased and benign envy increased. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study showed that nurses' education level affected self-efficacy, and self-efficacy level affected envy, and malicious envy could be reduced by improving nurses' self-efficacy. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY Nursing managers and policymakers should support nursing education at the minimum undergraduate level, encourage nurses to continue their professional education to improve their self-efficacy, and provide training to increase their self-efficacy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Aslı Yeşil
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Bursa Technical University, Bursa, Turkey
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Dyduch-Hazar K. Sadism in the context of intergroup aggression. Aggress Behav 2024; 50:e22128. [PMID: 38268391 DOI: 10.1002/ab.22128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
People more readily harm members of outgroups than ingroups, often enjoying the inflicted agony. Yet it remains unclear how these malevolent tendencies towards outgroups relate to sadism. Sadists often harm others, driven by a desire to feel pleasure from their suffering. In attempt to bridge these two lines of research, this work examined relationships between sadism and aggression against ingroup and outgroup members in three studies (total N = 755) that focused on two groups with a history of conflict (i.e., the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland). Across all studies, British participants' sadistic tendencies were just as strongly linked to their aggression against ingroup members (i.e., British partners) as to their aggression against outgroup members (i.e., Irish partners). Despite this lack of a preference for greater outgroup aggression, they tended to enjoy outgroup aggression more than ingroup aggression, especially at its extreme levels. These findings extend works linking sadism to aggression into the domain of intergroup relations and bind together research on sadism and intergroup schadenfreude.
Collapse
|
8
|
Moncrieff M, Lienard P. From Envy to Radicalization. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2023; 10:70-86. [PMID: 38500870 PMCID: PMC10944411 DOI: 10.1007/s40806-023-00380-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Models of radicalization have typically placed grievances at the heart of radicalization. In contrast, we argue that viewing the radicalizing agent as decidedly proactive, and less reactive, better accounts for the available data. At the core of our radicalization model is the functional structure of envy. The operative properties of the emotion align with essential and conspicuous features of the radicalization process: a motivation to monitor social differentials, an identification of sources of postulated welfare costs, an impulse to eliminate or depower purported competitors, an attempt to diffuse responsibility for one's aggressive actions, and the rejoicing at the envied agent's misfortune. Two of those operative properties are particularly important for our understanding of radicalization. Envy motivates the neutralization of competitors when responsibility for welfare costs is not objectively attributable to others' wrongdoing toward the party who feels injured. The "process of typification" serves as a means to diffuse responsibility. It extends the reach of individual concerns by downplaying the particulars of the personal situation motivating the envious agent while evoking universally shared interaction templates (e.g., humiliation, injustice) to appeal to a broader audience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Moncrieff
- Department of International Public Law & International Organization, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pierre Lienard
- Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ge C, Liu P, Zhang Z, Liu Y, Wang L, Qi Y. Self-construal modulates context-based social comparison preferences in outcome evaluations. Biol Psychol 2023; 183:108682. [PMID: 37689177 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Self-construal (SC) describes how people perceive the relationship between themselves and others and is usually divided into interdependent and independent types. Several studies have been conducted on how people with independent and interdependent SC process their own and others' outcomes. However, few studies have investigated the influence of SC on outcome evaluation in a social comparison context. To explore this, we randomly assigned participants to interdependent and independent SC priming groups and analyzed the affects and electrophysiological responses generated when they played gambling games with two pseudo-players. The results showed that self-gambling state, SC, and social comparison interacted to influence feedback-related negativity (FRN). In the self-win condition, performances that differed from others elicited more negative FRN than evenness for both the interdependent and independent groups. In the self-loss condition, this effect was only found in the independent group. These results suggest that the outcome evaluation patterns in social contexts are not fixed but vary according to self-gambling state and SC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cao Ge
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Panting Liu
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Yuying Liu
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Lingxiao Wang
- Centre for Cognition and Brain disorders, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310015, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairments, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Yanyan Qi
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Pan Y, Vinding MC, Zhang L, Lundqvist D, Olsson A. A Brain-To-Brain Mechanism for Social Transmission of Threat Learning. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2304037. [PMID: 37544901 PMCID: PMC10558655 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202304037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Survival and adaptation in environments require swift and efficacious learning about what is dangerous. Across species, much of such threat learning is acquired socially, e.g., through the observation of others' ("demonstrators'") defensive behaviors. However, the specific neural mechanisms responsible for the integration of information shared between demonstrators and observers remain largely unknown. This dearth of knowledge is addressed by performing magnetoencephalography (MEG) neuroimaging in demonstrator-observer dyads. A set of stimuli are first shown to a demonstrator whose defensive responses are filmed and later presented to an observer, while neuronal activity is recorded sequentially from both individuals who never interacted directly. These results show that brain-to-brain coupling (BtBC) in the fronto-limbic circuit (including insula, ventromedial, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) within demonstrator-observer dyads predict subsequent expressions of learning in the observer. Importantly, the predictive power of BtBC magnifies when a threat is imminent to the demonstrator. Furthermore, BtBC depends on how observers perceive their social status relative to the demonstrator, likely driven by shared attention and emotion, as bolstered by dyadic pupillary coupling. Taken together, this study describes a brain-to-brain mechanism for social threat learning, involving BtBC, which reflects social relationships and predicts adaptive, learned behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yafeng Pan
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17165Sweden
| | - Mikkel C. Vinding
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17165Sweden
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and ResearchCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ Amager and HvidovreCopenhagen2650Denmark
| | - Lei Zhang
- Centre for Human Brain HealthSchool of PsychologyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamB15 2TTUK
- Institute for Mental HealthSchool of PsychologyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamB15 2TTUK
- SocialCognitive and Affective Neuroscience UnitDepartment of CognitionEmotionand Methods in PsychologyFaculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaVienna1010Austria
| | - Daniel Lundqvist
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17165Sweden
| | - Andreas Olsson
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17165Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Borelli E, Benuzzi F, Ballotta D, Bandieri E, Luppi M, Cacciari C, Porro CA, Lui F. Words hurt: common and distinct neural substrates underlying nociceptive and semantic pain. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1234286. [PMID: 37829724 PMCID: PMC10565001 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1234286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Recent studies have shown that processing semantic pain, such as words associated with physical pain, modulates pain perception and enhances activity in regions of the pain matrix. A direct comparison between activations due to noxious stimulation and processing of words conveying physical pain may clarify whether and to what extent the neural substrates of nociceptive pain are shared by semantic pain. Pain is triggered also by experiences of social exclusion, rejection or loss of significant others (the so-called social pain), therefore words expressing social pain may modulate pain perception similarly to what happens with words associated with physical pain. This event-related fMRI study aims to compare the brain activity related to perceiving nociceptive pain and that emerging from processing semantic pain, i.e., words related to either physical or social pain, in order to identify common and distinct neural substrates. Methods Thirty-four healthy women underwent two fMRI sessions each. In the Semantic session, participants were presented with positive words, negative pain-unrelated words, physical pain-related words, and social pain-related words. In the Nociceptive session, participants received cutaneous mechanical stimulations that could be either painful or not. During both sessions, participants were asked to rate the unpleasantness of each stimulus. Linguistic stimuli were also rated in terms of valence, arousal, pain relatedness, and pain intensity, immediately after the Semantic session. Results In the Nociceptive session, the 'nociceptive stimuli' vs. 'non-nociceptive stimuli' contrast revealed extensive activations in SI, SII, insula, cingulate cortex, thalamus, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In the Semantic session, words associated with social pain, compared to negative pain-unrelated words, showed increased activity in most of the same areas, whereas words associated with physical pain, compared to negative pain-unrelated words, only activated the left supramarginal gyrus and partly the postcentral gyrus. Discussion Our results confirm that semantic pain partly shares the neural substrates of nociceptive pain. Specifically, social pain-related words activate a wide network of regions, mostly overlapping with those pertaining to the affective-motivational aspects of nociception, whereas physical pain-related words overlap with a small cluster including regions related to the sensory-discriminative aspects of nociception. However, most regions of overlap are differentially activated in different conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Borelli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Francesca Benuzzi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Daniela Ballotta
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Elena Bandieri
- Oncology and Palliative Care Units, Civil Hospital Carpi, USL, Carpi, Italy
| | - Mario Luppi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Hematology Unit and Chair, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Cristina Cacciari
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Carlo Adolfo Porro
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Fausta Lui
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Lin H, Bruchmann M, Straube T. Altered Putamen Activation for Social Comparison-Related Feedback in Social Anxiety Disorder: A Pilot Study. Neuropsychobiology 2023; 82:359-372. [PMID: 37717563 DOI: 10.1159/000531762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by abnormal processing of performance-related social stimuli. Previous studies have shown altered emotional experiences and activations of different sub-regions of the striatum during processing of social stimuli in patients with SAD. However, whether and to what extent social comparisons affect behavioural and neural responses to feedback stimuli in patients with SAD is unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS To address this issue, emotional ratings and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) responses were assessed while patients suffering from SAD and healthy controls (HC) were required to perform a choice task and received performance feedback (correct, incorrect, non-informative) that varied in relation to the performance of fictitious other participants (a few, half, or most of others had the same outcome). RESULTS Across all performance feedback conditions, fMRI analyses revealed reduced activations in bilateral putamen when feedback was assumed to be received by only a few compared to half of the other participants in patients with SAD. Nevertheless, analysis of rating data showed a similar modulation of valence and arousal ratings in patients with SAD and HC depending on social comparison-related feedback. CONCLUSIONS This suggests altered neural processing of performance feedback depending on social comparisons in patients with SAD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huiyan Lin
- Laboratory for Behavioral and Regional Finance, Guangdong University of Finance, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Applied Psychology, Guangdong University of Finance, Guangzhou, China
| | - Maximilian Bruchmann
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Thomas Straube
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Tor A, Garcia SM. The neuroscience of social comparison and competition. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023:10.3758/s13415-023-01107-2. [PMID: 37286762 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01107-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The study of competition from a social comparison perspective offers valuable insights into the neuroscience of social judgment and decision making under uncertainty. When engaging in social comparison, individuals seek and assess information about similarities or differences between others and themselves, in large part to improve their self-evaluation. By providing information about one's relative position, abilities, outcomes, and more, social comparisons can inform competitive judgments and decisions. People reasonably turn to social comparisons to reduce uncertainty before, during, and after competition. However, the extent to which they do so and the behavioral consequences of social comparisons often fail to match the potential benefits of improved self-evaluation. An examination of the developing neuroscience of social comparison and competition in light of the behavioral evidence reveals numerous questions that merit further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Avishalom Tor
- Notre Dame Law School, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
| | - Stephen M Garcia
- Graduate School of Management, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Sun S, Wang Y, Bai X. Outcome Evaluation in Social Comparison: When You Deviate from Others. Brain Sci 2023; 13:925. [PMID: 37371402 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals often measure their performance through social comparison. With the increase in the deviation degree between the self and others, the outcome evaluation of individuals' abilities in the social comparison context is still unknown. In the current study, we used a two self-outcomes × three others' outcomes within-participant design to investigate the effect of the deviation degree of the self versus others in the social comparison context. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured while participants performed a three-person dot estimation task with two other people. When participants received positive results, the amplitudes of feedback-related negativity (FRN) and P300 showed a significant gradient change in the degree of deviation between the self and others (even win vs. better win vs. best win conditions). However, we did not find a similar progressive effect when participants received negative results (even loss vs. worse loss vs. worst loss conditions). These findings suggest that the deviation degree affects the primary and later processing stages of social comparison outcomes only when individuals received positive outcomes, which may reflect how people develop an empathic response to others. In contrast, people tended to avoid deeper social comparison that threatened their self-esteem when they received negative outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shinan Sun
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Xuejun Bai
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Wang Y, Harris PL, Pei M, Su Y. Do Bad People Deserve Empathy? Selective Empathy Based on Targets' Moral Characteristics. AFFECTIVE SCIENCE 2023; 4:413-428. [PMID: 37304566 PMCID: PMC10247634 DOI: 10.1007/s42761-022-00165-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The relation between empathy and morality is a widely discussed topic. However, previous discussions mainly focused on whether and how empathy influences moral cognition and moral behaviors, with limited attention to the reverse influence of morality on empathy. This review summarized how morality influences empathy by drawing together a number of hitherto scattered studies illustrating the influence of targets' moral characteristics on empathy. To explain why empathy is morally selective, we discuss its ultimate cause, to increase survival rates, and five proximate causes based on similarity, affective bonds, the appraisal of deservingness, dehumanization, and potential group membership. To explain how empathy becomes morally selective, we consider three different pathways (automatic, regulative, and mixed) based on previous findings. Finally, we discuss future directions, including the reverse influence of selective empathy on moral cognition, the moral selectivity of positive empathy, and the role of selective empathy in selective helping and third-party punishment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiyi Wang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, 100871 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Paul L. Harris
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Meng Pei
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, 100871 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanjie Su
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, 100871 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Arioli M, Basso G, Baud-Bovy G, Mattioni L, Poggi P, Canessa N. Neural bases of loss aversion when choosing for oneself versus known or unknown others. Cereb Cortex 2023:7030624. [PMID: 36748997 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the ubiquitous interdependence between one's own decisions and others' welfare, and the controversial evidence on the behavioral effect of choosing for others, the neural bases of making decisions for another versus oneself remain unexplored. We investigated whether loss aversion (LA; the tendency to avoid losses over approaching equivalent gains) is modulated by (i) choosing for oneself, other individuals, or both; (ii) knowing or not knowing the other recipients; or (iii) an interaction between these factors. We used fMRI to assess the brain activations associated with choosing whether to accept or reject mixed gambles, either for oneself, for another player, or both, in 2 groups of 28 participants who had or had not briefly interacted with the other players before scanning. Participants displayed higher LA for choices involving their payoff compared with those affecting only the payoff of other, known, players. This "social" modulation of decision-making was found to engage the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and its inhibitory connectivity to the middle cingulate cortex. This pattern might underpin decision-making for known others via self-other distinction processes associated with dorsomedial prefrontal areas, with this in turn promoting the inhibition of socially oriented responses through the downregulation of the midcingulate node of the empathy network.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Arioli
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Piazzale Sant'Agostino 2, Bergamo 24129, Italy
| | - Gianpaolo Basso
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, Monza (MB) 20900, Italy
| | - Gabriel Baud-Bovy
- Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences Unit, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, Genova 16163, Italy.,Faculty of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Mattioni
- Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS, IUSS Cognitive Neuroscience (ICoN) Center, Piazza della Vittoria 15, Pavia 27100, Italy.,Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory of Pavia Institute, Via Maugeri 10, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | - Paolo Poggi
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Radiology Unit of Pavia Institute, Via Maugeri 10, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | - Nicola Canessa
- Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS, IUSS Cognitive Neuroscience (ICoN) Center, Piazza della Vittoria 15, Pavia 27100, Italy.,Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory of Pavia Institute, Via Maugeri 10, Pavia 27100, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Fittipaldi S, Armony JL, Migeot J, Cadaveira M, Ibáñez A, Baez S. Overactivation of posterior insular, postcentral and temporal regions during preserved experience of envy in autism. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 57:705-717. [PMID: 36628571 PMCID: PMC11170468 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Social emotions are critical to successfully navigate in a complex social world because they promote self-regulation of behaviour. Difficulties in social behaviour are at the core of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, social emotions and their neural correlates have been scarcely investigated in this population. In particular, the experience of envy has not been addressed in ASD despite involving neurocognitive processes crucially compromised in this condition. Here, we used an fMRI adapted version of a well-validated task to investigate the subjective experience of envy and its neural correlates in adults with ASD (n = 30) in comparison with neurotypical controls (n = 28). Results revealed that both groups reported similarly intense experience of envy in association with canonical activation in the anterior cingulate cortex and the anterior insula, among other regions. However, in participants with ASD, the experience of envy was accompanied by overactivation of the posterior insula, the postcentral gyrus and the posterior superior temporal gyrus, regions subserving the processing of painful experiences and mentalizing. This pattern of results suggests that individuals with ASD may use compensatory strategies based on the embodied amplification of pain and additional mentalizing efforts to shape their subjective experience of envy. Results have relevant implications to better understand the heterogeneity of this condition and to develop new intervention targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sol Fittipaldi
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), USA, and Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Ireland
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andres, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jorge L. Armony
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute and Dept. of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Joaquín Migeot
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), USA, and Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Ireland
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andres, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Hong JC, Tai KH, Hwang MY, Lin CY. Social comparison effects on students’ cognitive anxiety, self-confidence, and performance in Chinese composition writing. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1060421. [DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1060421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Social comparison is a mind-altering determinant that affects students’ learning behavior. To understand the effect, three instructional approaches to teaching Chinese writing skills were designed and implemented in this study: (1) The No Comparison Group (NCG): students were asked to complete compositions on their own; (2) The Upward Comparison Group (UCG): superior composition examples were provided and the students were asked to write compositions on the same topics; and (3) The Downward Comparison Group (DCG): inferior examples were provided for students to critique. Taiwanese junior high school ninth graders participated in three groups, and wrote compositions on six themes. The results revealed that the Chinese composition writing (CCW) skills of the students in the UCG and DCG improved significantly more than those of the students in the NCG. Composition-prompted cognitive anxiety in the DCG declined substantially. The results imply that adopting upward and downward comparisons for students to practice Chinese composition is worth adopting in writing lessons.
Collapse
|
19
|
Zhang H, Sun S, Xu H, Zhao C. Detrimental Effect of the Characteristic-Human-Capital-Inputs-Based Horizontal Pay Dispersion on Team Member Work Role Performance via Employee Benign and Malicious Envy: An Evidence from China. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2022; 15:3097-3116. [PMID: 36304736 PMCID: PMC9595064 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s383969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Pay for employee characteristic human capital inputs, which results in part of horizontal pay dispersion (HPD) and is well acknowledged by organizations and employees, has been greatly ignored by scholars. This study proposes “the characteristic-human-capital-inputs-based HPD” and explores what impact it tends to exert on team member work role performance (TMWRP), why, and when. Drawing on social comparison theory, goal-setting theory, and self-regulatory depletion theory, we develop a dual-mediation model elaborating the detrimental effect of this type of HPD on TMWRP from the perspective of employee benign and malicious envy and test it using objective and subjective data of 364 members coming from 65 Chinese ordinary employee teams. Methods We on-site collected objective data including each member’s pay level, outcome performance, and characteristic human capital inputs. Using five-point Likert rating method, team supervisors were requested to evaluate each member’s TMWRP and members were asked to self-rate benign and malicious envy. Hierarchical regression analysis, simple slope analysis, and bootstrapping approach were employed to verify the model. Results The characteristic-human-capital-inputs-based HPD adversely affects TMWRP by reducing employee benign envy (the mediating effect=−0.053, 95% CI=[−0.111, −0.002], excluding 0) and enhancing employee malicious envy (the mediating effect=−0.025, 95% CI=[−0.059, −0.004], excluding 0). The positive linkage between employee benign envy and TMWRP is only observed in lower-paid employees (the simple slope=0.145, p<0.05). Employee pay level does not moderate the relationship between malicious envy and TMWRP (β=−0.033, p>0.10). Conclusion The characteristic-human-capital-inputs-based HPD, which involves the HPD part mainly resulting from employee differences in characteristic human capital inputs, tends to impair TMWRP through inhibiting employee benign envy and promoting employee malicious envy. Employee pay level is an important boundary condition constraining the positive effect of benign envy on TMWRP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Zhang
- Business School, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuwei Sun
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China,Correspondence: Shuwei Sun, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Xuzhou University of Technology, No. 2 Lishui Road, Yunlong, Xuzhou, 221111, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 15996963525, Fax +86 051683105396, Email
| | - Han Xu
- Business School, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chuyu Zhao
- Business School, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Stability and change in dispositional envy: Longitudinal evidence on envy as a stable trait. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/08902070221128137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Dispositional envy has been conceptualized as an emotional trait that varies across comparison domains (e.g., attraction, competence, wealth). Despite its prevalence and potentially detrimental effects, little is known about stability and change in dispositional envy across time due to a lack of longitudinal data. The goal of the present research was to close this gap by investigating stability and developmental change in dispositional envy over time. In a preregistered longitudinal study across 6 years, we analyzed data from N = 1229 German participants ( n = 510–634 per wave) with a mean age of 47.0 years at intake ( SD = 12.4, range 18–88). Results from latent factor models revealed that both global and domain-specific dispositional envy were stable across 6 years in terms of their rank order and mean levels, with stability coefficients similar to those of other trait measures reported in literature. Moreover, a substantial amount of variance in global and domain-specific dispositional envy was accounted for by a stable trait factor. Results thus provide evidence for a stable disposition toward the experience of envy both at the global level and within specific envy domains. The present findings have important theoretical and practical implications for the stability and development of dispositional envy in adulthood and advance the understanding of emotional traits in general.
Collapse
|
21
|
Careful what you wish for: the primary role of malicious Envy in Predicting Moral Disengagement. MOTIVATION AND EMOTION 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11031-022-09973-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
|
22
|
Li Q, Dai W, Zheng Y, Wang C, Yang Z, Liu X, Ren Q, Hu K. Social comparisons differentially affect fair and unfair processing in ultimatum bargaining. Neuropsychologia 2022; 174:108318. [PMID: 35830915 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Several theoretical frameworks have attempted to illustrate the influence of social contexts on decision-making and well-being. Traditional economic models assume that absolute income is the crucial determinant of one's well-being, while the comparative models state that social comparisons influence well-being and decisions. Here we investigated the impact of social comparisons on decision-making using a modified three-player Ultimatum Game and ERP technique. We found two independent effects: First, social comparisons did not affect decision-making when a fair norm was enforced. Second, social comparisons affected fairness consideration for unfair offers only-responders were less likely to accept unfair offers in upward comparisons but more likely to accept unfair offers in downward comparisons. These results revealed that people were envy-free of fair offers while affected mainly by social comparisons when the equality norm was broken. Event-related brain potentials showed that in the early time window (260-320 ms), compared to fair offers, unfair offers elicited a larger negative-going medial frontal negativity (MFN) in upward than parallel and downward comparisons, and in the late stage (320-650 ms), compared to fair offers, unfair offers led to equally less positive-going P300 in upward and downward comparisons relative to parallel comparison. Although partly consistent with the relative standing assumption, both traditional economic models and comparative models require revision to account for the results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qi Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Weine Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; CFIN and PET Center, Aarhus University, 8200, Aarhus, N C, Denmark; Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing, China
| | - Ya Zheng
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Chunsheng Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhong Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xun Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiping Ren
- Institute of Mental Health, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kesong Hu
- Institute of Mental Health, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, China; Department of Psychology, Lake Superior State University, Sault St. Marie, MI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Migeot J, Calivar M, Granchetti H, Ibáñez A, Fittipaldi S. Socioeconomic status impacts cognitive and socioemotional processes in healthy ageing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6048. [PMID: 35410333 PMCID: PMC9001669 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09580-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Socioeconomic status (SES) negatively impacts cognitive and executive functioning in older adults, yet its effects on socioemotional abilities have not been studied in this population. Also, evidence on neurocognitive processes associated with ageing primarily comes from Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) populations, hindering the generalization of findings to persons from upper-middle- and low-middle-income countries, such as those of Latin America. Here, we compared the performance of low- and high-SES older adults from Argentina in cognitive state, executive functions, social cognition (emotion recognition and theory of mind), and counter-empathic social emotions (envy and Schadenfreude; displeasure at others' fortune and pleasure at others' misfortune, respectively). Subsequently, we developed a path analysis to test the relationship among those variables in a theoretically plausible model and tested the main paths via multiple regression analyses. Relative to the high-SES group, low-SES older adults showed poorer performance on all assessed domains. Convergent evidence from covariance analysis, path analysis, and linear regressions suggested that low-SES impact on socioemotional processes was not primary but mediated by cognitive and executive impairment. These findings offer the first characterization of SES impacts on cognitive and socioemotional processes in a non-WEIRD population and have relevant equity-related implications for brain health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joaquín Migeot
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Mariela Calivar
- Centro de Atención Primaria de la salud Zonda, Ministerio de Salud Pública de La Provincia de San Juan, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Hugo Granchetti
- Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Victoria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, USA
- Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sol Fittipaldi
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Victoria, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Morris A, O'Connor BB, Cushman F. The role of episodic simulation in motivating commonplace harms. Cognition 2022; 225:105104. [PMID: 35366483 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Every day, people face choices which could produce negative outcomes for others, and understanding these decisions is a major aim of social psychology. Here, we show that episodic simulation - a key psychological process implicated in other types of social and moral decision-making - can play a surprising role. Across six experiments, we find that imagining performing actions which adversely affect others makes people report a higher likelihood of performing those actions in the future. This effect happens, in part, because when people construe the actions as morally justified (as they often do spontaneously), imagining doing it makes them feel good. These findings stand in contrast to traditional accounts of harm aversion in moral psychology, and instead contribute to a growing body of evidence that people often cast harming others in a positive light.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Morris
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America.
| | - Brendan Bo O'Connor
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, United States of America
| | - Fiery Cushman
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Abstract
Counter-empathy refers to an emotional response that is valence-opposite from the emotional state of another individual. Screening for counter-empathy characteristics is of great significance for social psychology, clinical psychology, and criminal psychology research. Unfortunately, until now, there has been no specific scale to measure counter-empathy, creating a main bottleneck in counter-empathy research. We developed and validated a new instrument to measure counter-empathy: the Counter-Empathy Scale (CES). We tested the CES in a survey of 1265 Chinese college students. Both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis revealed a clear two-factor structure (feeling annoyed with others' happiness and taking pleasure in others' pain) for the CES. The CES is internally consistent, test-retest stable, and acceptable in terms of criterion-related validity. In conclusion, the CES is a promising instrument to assess counter-empathy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Jie
- Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Hainan Province, School of Biomedical Engineering, 74629Hainan University, China.,One Health Institute, 74629Hainan University, China
| | - Yang Wang
- School of Public Administration, 83521Guangdong University of Finance, China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Kyei JJ. Unravelling the Ghanaian “pull him/her down (PhD) syndrome” of malicious envy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOANALYTIC STUDIES 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/aps.1740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Joana Kyei
- Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration Achimota Ghana
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Lin H, Liang J. The Effect of Malicious Envy on Schadenfreude When Schadenfreude Is Elicited Through Social Comparisons. Front Psychol 2021; 12:769826. [PMID: 34966330 PMCID: PMC8711567 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have investigated whether envy, particularly malicious envy, increases feelings of schadenfreude and whether this effect is evident in both gain and loss frames. However, as a social-comparison-based emotion, schadenfreude was not investigated through social comparisons in these previous studies. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate whether malicious envy influences schadenfreude when schadenfreude is elicited in the context of precise and ambiguous social comparisons. To address this issue, participants in the present study were asked to play a monetary game with several other players. In the experimental condition, participants gained less or lost more than the other player; in the control condition, both the participants and the player gained little or lost much. Subsequently, the participants observed that the player encountered a misfortune, that is, gained less or lost more money than the participant. The results showed that when participants knew the exact amount of monetary gained and lost by themselves and the other player (i.e., precise social comparisons), malicious envy increased feelings of schadenfreude only in the loss frame rather than in the gain frame. More importantly, malicious envy turned out to reduce feelings of schadenfreude in both gain and loss frames, when participants did not know the exact amount (i.e., ambiguous social comparisons). The findings provide novel evidence that malicious envy does not always increase schadenfreude particularly when schadenfreude is elicited through social comparisons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huiyan Lin
- Institute of Applied Psychology, School of Public Administration, Guangdong University of Finance, Guangzhou, China.,Laboratory for Behavioral and Regional Finance, Guangdong University of Finance, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiafeng Liang
- School of Education, Guangdong University of Education, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Bartolo A, Ballotta D, Nocetti L, Baraldi P, Nichelli PF, Benuzzi F. Uncover the Offensive Side of Disparagement Humor: An fMRI Study. Front Psychol 2021; 12:750597. [PMID: 34880811 PMCID: PMC8645564 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.750597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Disparagement humor is a kind of humor that denigrates, belittles an individual or a social group. In the aim to unveil the offensive side of these kinds of jokes, we have run an event-related fMRI study asking 30 healthy volunteers to judge the level of fun of a series of verbal stimuli that ended with a sentence that was socially inappropriate but funny (disparagement joke -DJ), socially inappropriate but not funny (SI) or neutral (N). Behavioral results showed disparagement jokes are perceived as funny and at the same time offensive. However, the level of offense in DJ is lower than that registered in SI stimuli. Functional data showed that DJ activated the insula, the SMA, the precuneus, the ACC, the dorsal striatum (the caudate nucleus), and the thalamus. These activations suggest that in DJ a feeling of mirth (and/or a desire to laugh) derived from the joke (e.g., SMA and precuneus) and the perception of the jokes’ social inappropriateness (e.g., ACC and insula) coexist. Furthermore, DJ and SI share a common network related to mentalizing and to the processing of negative feelings, namely the medial prefrontal cortex, the putamen and the right thalamus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Bartolo
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 9193 - SCALab - Sciences Cognitives et Sciences Affectives, Lille, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Daniela Ballotta
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Luca Nocetti
- Fisica Medica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Patrizia Baraldi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Paolo Frigio Nichelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Francesca Benuzzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Xiang Y, Dong X, Zhao J, Li Q, Zhao J, Zhang W. The relationship between mindfulness and envy: The mediating role of emotional intelligence. Psych J 2021; 10:898-904. [PMID: 34755495 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Envy is a mixed negative emotion that is characterized by feelings of hostility, inferiority, resentment, and depression. It has been found that mindfulness is negatively associated with envy. This paper aimed to explore the interaction between mindfulness and envy by referring to the mindful emotion regulation model, and it also examines the mediation of emotional intelligence. Six hundred and seventy-six participants (182 men and 494 women) completed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Dispositional Envy Scale, and the Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale. Results suggest that mindfulness is significantly and negatively correlated with envy. Meanwhile, a multiple mediation analysis indicated that regulation of emotion and use of emotion partially mediate the impact of mindfulness on envy. The current study not only provides a theoretical basis for possible mechanisms underlying the inhibition of envy, but also provides valuable guidance for developing mindfulness-based intervention programs aiming at reducing the negative effects of envy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Xiang
- Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Center for Mind & Brain Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Xia Dong
- Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiaxu Zhao
- Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Qingyin Li
- Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Wenrui Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Zhao H, Zhang H. How personal relative deprivation influences moral disengagement: The role of malicious envy and Honesty-Humility. Scand J Psychol 2021; 63:246-255. [PMID: 34750825 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Scant research has investigated the potential influence of personal relative deprivation on moral disengagement, and little is known regarding the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Inspired by relative deprivation theory, this study proposed a moderated mediation model to explore the relationship between personal relative deprivation and moral disengagement by examining the mediating role of malicious envy and the moderating role of Honesty-Humility. Five hundred and eighty-nine Chinese adults completed anonymous measures of personal relative deprivation, malicious envy, Honesty-Humility, and moral disengagement. Results revealed that personal relative deprivation was positively correlated with moral disengagement and that malicious envy fully mediated this relationship. Moderated mediation analysis indicated that Honesty-Humility moderated the relationship between personal relative deprivation and malicious envy and that between malicious envy and moral disengagement. Specifically, both relationships became weaker for adults with higher levels of Honesty-Humility. These findings not only highlight the importance of identifying the underlying mechanisms between personal relative deprivation and moral disengagement, but also provide valuable implications for the effective prevention and mitigation of moral disengagement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huanhuan Zhao
- Department of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Heyun Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Yang C, Tang R. Validating the "Two Faces" of Envy: The Effect of Self-Control. Front Psychol 2021; 12:731451. [PMID: 34777112 PMCID: PMC8578062 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.731451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Envy drives different behaviors, and while we often emphasize the negative effects of envy, there are also relatively positive aspects. This study explored the "two faces" of envy or behaviors that improve oneself or degrade others. In study 1 (N=466, 45.1% males and 54.9% females; M age=18.53, SD age=2.05), we modeled the effects of envy and self-control on effort and aggression. In study 2 (N=102, 51% males and 49% females; M age=20.56, SD age=1.88), we explored the influence of envy on striving behavior and aggressive behavior using an ego depletion paradigm. The different effects of envy on different levels were doubly verified. We established structural equation models of the interactions of benign envy, malicious envy, self-control, and associated behaviors, and we found that: (1) Individuals' striving behavior was only affected by benign envy; (2) Individuals' aggressive behavior was influenced by both malicious envy and self-control. Ego depletion moderated the effect of malicious envy on aggressive behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chen Yang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Rixin Tang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Lin H, Liang J. ERP Effects of Malicious Envy on Schadenfreude in Gain and Loss Frames. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:663055. [PMID: 34456693 PMCID: PMC8397463 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.663055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous behavioral and neural studies have shown the effects of malicious envy on schadenfreude. However, it is unclear whether these effects are modulated by contextual frames (e.g., gain and loss frames). Thus, the present study aimed to investigate whether behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) effects of malicious envy on schadenfreude were different in gain and loss frames. To address this issue, the participants in the present study believed they were playing a monetary game with several other players. In the malicious envy condition, the participants won less money than the player in the gain frame and lost more money in the loss frame; in the control condition, both participants and the player gained little money in the gain frame and lost much in the loss frame. Subsequently, the participants were informed that the player encountered a misfortune, i.e., gained little in the gain frame and lost much in the loss frame. Results showed that malicious envy increased feelings of schadenfreude and ERP responses when the player encountered a misfortune. Moreover, increased ERP responses by malicious envy occurred at the feedback-related negativity (FRN), and early late positive potential (LPP) time ranges in the gain frame but at the late LPP time range in the loss frame. The findings might suggest that malicious envy affects schadenfreude and corresponding neural activity, whereas the neural effects occur at comparatively early time ranges in the gain frame but at a later time range in the loss frame.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huiyan Lin
- Institute of Applied Psychology, School of Public Administration, Guangdong University of Finance, Guangzhou, China.,Laboratory for Behavioral and Regional Finance, Guangdong University of Finance, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiafeng Liang
- School of Education, Guangdong University of Education, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Jie J, Fan M, Yang Y, Luo P, Wang Y, Li J, Chen W, Zhuang M, Zheng X. Establishing a Counter-Empathy Processing Model: Evidence from Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 17:nsab097. [PMID: 34415030 PMCID: PMC8881639 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Counter-empathy significantly affects people's social lives. Previous evidence indicates that the degree of counter-empathy can be either strong or weak. Strong counter-empathy easily occurs when empathizers are prejudiced against the targets of empathy (e.g., prejudice against outgroup members) and activates brain regions that are opposite to those activated by empathy. Weak counter-empathy may have different neural processing paths from strong one, but its underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. In this work, we used an unfair distribution paradigm, which can reduce participants' prejudice against persons empathized with, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the neural mechanisms underlying counter-empathy. Here, empathy and counter-empathy shared a common neural mechanism, induced by unfair distribution, in the right middle temporal gyrus. Counter-empathy activated distinct brain regions that differed from those of empathic responses in different situations. The functions of these brain regions, which included the middle frontal, middle temporal and left medial superior gyri, were similar and mostly related to emotional regulation and cognitive processing. Here, we propose a process model of counter-empathy, involving two processing paths according to whether or not prejudice exists. This study has theoretical significance and broadens our understanding of the cognitive neural mechanisms underlying empathy and counter-empathy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Jie
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Min Fan
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Yong Yang
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- School of Educational Science, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 414000, China
| | - Pinchao Luo
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Yijing Wang
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Junjiao Li
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- College of Teacher’s Education, Guangdong University of Education, Guangzhou 510303, China
| | - Wei Chen
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Mengdi Zhuang
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Xifu Zheng
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Molapour T, Hagan CC, Silston B, Wu H, Ramstead M, Friston K, Mobbs D. Seven computations of the social brain. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 16:745-760. [PMID: 33629102 PMCID: PMC8343565 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The social environment presents the human brain with the most complex information processing demands. The computations that the brain must perform occur in parallel, combine social and nonsocial cues, produce verbal and nonverbal signals and involve multiple cognitive systems, including memory, attention, emotion and learning. This occurs dynamically and at timescales ranging from milliseconds to years. Here, we propose that during social interactions, seven core operations interact to underwrite coherent social functioning; these operations accumulate evidence efficiently-from multiple modalities-when inferring what to do next. We deconstruct the social brain and outline the key components entailed for successful human-social interaction. These include (i) social perception; (ii) social inferences, such as mentalizing; (iii) social learning; (iv) social signaling through verbal and nonverbal cues; (v) social drives (e.g. how to increase one's status); (vi) determining the social identity of agents, including oneself and (vii) minimizing uncertainty within the current social context by integrating sensory signals and inferences. We argue that while it is important to examine these distinct aspects of social inference, to understand the true nature of the human social brain, we must also explain how the brain integrates information from the social world.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tanaz Molapour
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Cindy C Hagan
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Brian Silston
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Haiyan Wu
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10010, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10010 China
| | - Maxwell Ramstead
- Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A2, Canada
- Culture, Mind, and Brain Program, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A2, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Karl Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Dean Mobbs
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
- Computation and Neural Systems Program, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
The neural substrate of schadenfreude: The effects of competition level changes on the processing of pain in others. NEW IDEAS IN PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.newideapsych.2021.100853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
|
36
|
Saladino V, Lin H, Zamparelli E, Verrastro V. Neuroscience, Empathy, and Violent Crime in an Incarcerated Population: A Narrative Review. Front Psychol 2021; 12:694212. [PMID: 34393924 PMCID: PMC8355490 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.694212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Empathy is a fundamental construct that allows individuals to perceive and understand the cognitive and emotional state of others. Empathy is not only a psychological and sociological concept; it also heavily impacts our daily lives by affecting our decisions and actions. Empathy is connected to and involves specific parts of the brain which, if damaged or of reduced volume, can lead to actions that are morally unjust, aggressive, or simply denoting a lack of understanding and sensitivity. The literature affirms that the low level of empathy, guilt, embarrassment, and moral reasoning displayed by violent and psychopathic criminals is strongly associated with empathy-linked brain regions that are smaller in size or less developed. The aim of this review is to show empirical data over the last 5 years on the connection between empathy and neuroscience among violent and psychopathic offenders, reflecting on future research on the topic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Saladino
- Department of Human Sciences, Society and Health, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino, Italy
| | - Hannah Lin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Valeria Verrastro
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Zhang H, Gu R, Yang M, Zhang M, Han F, Li H, Luo W. Context-based interpersonal relationship modulates social comparison between outcomes: an event-related potential study. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 16:439-452. [PMID: 33527110 PMCID: PMC7990070 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Social comparison is a common behavior that largely determines people's experience of decision outcome. Previous research has showed that interpersonal relationship plays a pivotal role in social comparison. In the current study, we investigated whether the manipulation of context-based relationship would affect participants' comparison of self-outcome and other-outcome. Participants first finished a trust game with likeable (dislikeable) partner and then they were involved in a gambling task and observed the outcomes for themselves and for partners. According to self-reports, participants were more satisfied with likeable partner's gains than losses only when they received gains, but they were always more satisfied with dislikeable player's losses compared to gains. Event-related potentials including the feedback-related negativity (FRN), P3 and late positive component (LPC) were sensitive to context-based relationship. Specifically, the prediction error signal (indexed by the FRN) was largest when participants received losses but dislikeable player received gains. Meanwhile, the P3 indicates that participants had stronger motivation to outperform dislikeable player. Finally, the LPC was larger when participants received the same outcomes with dislikeable players. In general, our results support the key point of the self-evaluation maintenance model that personal closeness modulates subjective sensitivity when drawing a comparison of one's outcomes with other's outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huoyin Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518061, China.,Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, China.,Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Province, Dalian 116029, China
| | - Ruolei Gu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ming Yang
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, China.,Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Province, Dalian 116029, China
| | - Mingming Zhang
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, China.,Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Province, Dalian 116029, China
| | - Fengxu Han
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, China.,Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Province, Dalian 116029, China
| | - Hong Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518061, China.,Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen 518061, China.,Institute for Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610068, China
| | - Wenbo Luo
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, China.,Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Province, Dalian 116029, China
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
He N, Xiang Y. How child maltreatment impacts internalized/externalized aggression among Chinese adolescents from perspectives of social comparison and the general aggression model. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2021; 117:105024. [PMID: 33905994 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Child maltreatment is believed to have a tight correlation with adolescent problem behaviors, and one of them is aggression. According to different attack targets, aggression can be divided into internalized aggression (attack oneself) and externalized aggression (attack others), both of which are negatively influenced by child maltreatment. However, little is known about the potential mechanisms of the effect from child maltreatment to internalized/externalized aggression. OBJECTIVE Based on the perspectives of social comparison and the general aggression model, the present study examined the mediating effects of benign envy, malicious envy and self-control between child maltreatment and internalized/externalized aggression. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING 1951 adolescents (49 % girls, Mage = 12.93 years, SD = 2.54) from mainland China were recruited. METHODS Based on the retrospective self-reporting of five questionnaires, structural equation modeling and bootstrap estimation procedure were adopted to identify the mediating effects of benign envy, malicious envy and self-control. RESULTS The structural model fitted well [χ2 (178, 1951) = 1601.176, p < .001; RMSEA = 0.064; SRMR = 0.076; CFI = 0.913]. Benign envy (95 % CI [0.013, 0.002], [-0.040, -0.079]), malicious envy (95 % CI [0.044, 0.024], [0.363, 0.241]) and self-control (95 % CI [0.025, 0.005], [0.264, 0.166]) played a significant mediating role between child maltreatment and internalized/externalized aggression. CONCLUSION Benign envy, malicious envy and self-control played an important mediating role between child maltreatment and internalized/externalized aggression, which may provide a theoretical basis for future interventions to reduce adolescent problem behaviors, paying more attention to the improvement of emotion regulation and self-control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nina He
- Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China; Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yanhui Xiang
- Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China; Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Sieberg CB, Lebel A, Silliman E, Holmes S, Borsook D, Elman I. Left to themselves: Time to target chronic pain in childhood rare diseases. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 126:276-288. [PMID: 33774086 PMCID: PMC8738995 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic pain is prevalent among patients with rare diseases (RDs). However, little is understood about how biopsychosocial mechanisms may be integrated in the unique set of clinical features and therapeutic challenges inherent in their pain conditions. METHODS This review presents examples of major categories of RDs with particular pain conditions. In addition, we provide translational evidence on clinical and scientific rationale for psychosocially- and neurodevelopmentally-informed treatment of pain in RD patients. RESULTS Neurobiological and functional overlap between various RD syndromes and pain states suggests amalgamation and mutual modulation of the respective conditions. Emotional sequelae could be construed as an emotional homologue of physical pain mediated via overlapping brain circuitry. Given their clearly defined genetic and molecular etiologies, RDs may serve as heuristic models for unraveling pathophysiological processes inherent in chronic pain. CONCLUSIONS Systematic evaluation of chronic pain in patients with RD contributes to sophisticated insight into both pain and their psychosocial correlates, which could transform treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine B Sieberg
- Biobehavioral Pediatric Pain Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Center for Pain and the Brain (P.A.I.N Group), Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Alyssa Lebel
- Center for Pain and the Brain (P.A.I.N Group), Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Erin Silliman
- Biobehavioral Pediatric Pain Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Division of Graduate Medical Sciences, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Scott Holmes
- Center for Pain and the Brain (P.A.I.N Group), Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - David Borsook
- Center for Pain and the Brain (P.A.I.N Group), Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
| | - Igor Elman
- Center for Pain and the Brain (P.A.I.N Group), Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Gaviria E, Quintanilla L, Navas MJ. Influence of Group Identification on Malicious and Benign Envy: A Cross-Sectional Developmental Study. Front Psychol 2021; 12:663735. [PMID: 34276488 PMCID: PMC8277992 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.663735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Envy is the result of a social comparison that shows us a negative image of ourselves. The present study addresses the effect of the context of group comparison and group identification on children's expression of this emotion. Through different stories, participants aged between 6 and 11 years were exposed to four contexts of upward social comparison in which they had to adopt the role of the disadvantaged character. From their emotional responses and their decisions in a resource allocation task, three response profiles were created: malicious envy, benign envy, and non-envy. Although we found important differences between verbal and behavioral responses, the results showed greater envy, both malicious and benign, when the envied was an out-group. On the other hand, when the envied belonged to the in-group and competed with a member of the out-group, malicious but not benign envy practically disappeared. With age, envious responses decreased, and non-envious responses increased. The role of social identity in the promotion and inhibition of envy is discussed, as well as the acquisition of emotional display rules in the benign envy and non-envy profiles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Gaviria
- Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Quintanilla
- Department of Methodology for Behavioral Sciences, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
| | - María José Navas
- Department of Methodology for Behavioral Sciences, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
The antecedents and consequences of workplace envy: A meta-analytic review. ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10490-021-09772-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
AbstractExtensive research has been conducted into the antecedents and consequences of workplace envy, but there have been limited meta-analytic reviews. This meta-analysis draws on social comparison theory to examine studies of envy in the workplace and develop a comprehensive model of the antecedents and consequences of workplace envy. We reconcile the divergent findings in the literature by building a model of three types of workplace envy that distinguishes between episodic, dispositional, and general envy. The results suggest that individual differences (e.g., narcissism, neuroticism), organizational contexts (e.g., competition, position), and social desirability are predictors of workplace envy. They also reveal that workplace envy is related to organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), negative behaviors (e.g., ostracism, social undermining), negative emotions, organizational perceptions (i.e., engagement, satisfaction), turnover intentions, and moral disengagement. We test the moderating roles of envy types, measurement approaches, and causal directions. The results reveal that these moderators have little differences, and that some variables (e.g., self-esteem, fairness) may be both antecedents and consequences of workplace envy. Finally, we suggest that future research into workplace envy should investigate contextual predictors and moderators of the social comparison process that triggers envy. This meta-analysis can serve as a foundation for future research into workplace envy.
Collapse
|
42
|
Neuroanatomy of complex social emotion dysregulation in adolescent offenders. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:1083-1100. [PMID: 33973160 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00903-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Social emotions require the correct integration of emotional, cognitive, and social processes and are critical for complex social interactions. Adolescent criminal offenders (AOs) show abnormalities in the experience of basic emotions. However, most research has focused solely on basic emotions, neglecting complex social emotions that could be critical for social reintegration. The purpose of this study was to investigate the behavioral and neural correlates of social emotions (envy and Schadenfreude) in AOs. We explored the experience of complex social emotions, as well as their anatomical correlates, in AOs (n = 19) and a nonoffenders control group (NOs, n = 20). Additionally, we assessed the relationship between social emotions, executive functions (EFs), and fluid intelligence (FI). Structural brain imaging was obtained in all participants. The results showed that AOs had significantly lower envy and Schadenfreude ratings and exhibited lower performance in EFs compared with NOs. The measurement of EFs relied on the INECO frontal screening (IFS). Experiencing fewer social emotions was associated with diminished EFs but not with FI. Moreover, in AOs, reduced levels of envy and Schadenfreude were linked with reduced gray matter volumes in regions subserving mentalizing abilities (inferior parietal lobe and precuneus) and socioemotional processing (inferior and middle temporal regions), as well as key hubs of the executive frontoparietal network (inferior parietal lobule, orbital and rectus gyri). Additional analysis on the AOs revealed no associations between the type of crime and our variables of interest (EFs, FI and social emotions). Our findings are the first to provide evidence on abnormalities in the experience of social emotions in AOs that are associated with neurocognitive markers of social cognition and EFs. Understanding social emotions and their abnormalities (under-experience) as complex intertwined processes may have important future translational implications, including risk prediction for social adaptation/reintegration, sociocognitive targeted interventions, and skill training for social emotions in vulnerable populations.
Collapse
|
43
|
Feng C, Eickhoff SB, Li T, Wang L, Becker B, Camilleri JA, Hétu S, Luo Y. Common brain networks underlying human social interactions: Evidence from large-scale neuroimaging meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 126:289-303. [PMID: 33781834 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Recent overarching frameworks propose that various human social interactions are commonly supported by a set of fundamental neuropsychological processes, including social cognition, motivation, and cognitive control. However, it remains unclear whether brain networks implicated in these functional constructs are consistently engaged in diverse social interactions. Based on ample evidence from human brain imaging studies (342 contrasts, 7234 participants, 3328 foci), we quantitatively synthesized brain areas involved in broad domains of social interactions, including social interactions versus non-social contexts, positive/negative aspects of social interactions, social learning, and social norms. We then conducted brain network analysis on the ensuing brain regions and characterized the psychological function profiles of identified brain networks. Our findings revealed that brain regions consistently involved in diverse social interactions mapped onto default mode network, salience network, subcortical network and central executive network, which were respectively implicated in social cognition, motivation and cognitive control. These findings implicate a heuristic integrative framework to understand human social life from the perspective of component process and network integration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunliang Feng
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; School of Psychology, Institute of Brain Research and Rehabilitation (IBRR), Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Ting Li
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; School of Psychology, Institute of Brain Research and Rehabilitation (IBRR), Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Benjamin Becker
- The Clinical Hospital of the Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Julia A Camilleri
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Sébastien Hétu
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yi Luo
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Isoda M. The Role of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex in Moderating Neural Representations of Self and Other in Primates. Annu Rev Neurosci 2021; 44:295-313. [PMID: 33752448 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-101420-011820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
As a frontal node in the primate social brain, the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) plays a critical role in coordinating one's own behavior with respect to that of others. Current literature demonstrates that single neurons in the MPFC encode behavior-related variables such as intentions, actions, and rewards, specifically for self and other, and that the MPFC comes into play when reflecting upon oneself and others. The social moderator account of MPFC function can explain maladaptive social cognition in people with autism spectrum disorder, which tips the balance in favor of self-centered perspectives rather than taking into consideration the perspective of others. Several strands of evidence suggest a hypothesis that the MPFC represents different other mental models, depending on the context at hand, to better predict others' emotions and behaviors. This hypothesis also accounts for aberrant MPFC activity in autistic individuals while they are mentalizing others.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Isoda
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; .,Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Empathic responses to social targets: The influence of warmth and competence perceptions, situational valence, and social identification. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248562. [PMID: 33720971 PMCID: PMC7959363 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Accounts of empathy distinguish between cognitive (attribution of mental states to a social target) and emotional (sharing of emotions with a social target) empathy. To date, however, little is known about whether and how (interactions between) person perceptions, situational characteristics, and the observer-target relationship affect these constructs. The current study hence investigated (a) how the perceived warmth and competence of different social targets relate to both types of empathy, (b) whether there are differences in empathic responding to positive vs. negative scenarios, and (c) the impact of identification with the social targets. Eighty-nine participants rated cognitive and emotional empathy regarding four stereotypical target characters (student, elderly person, businessperson, alcoholic person) facing diverse positive and negative events. They also rated how warm and competent these characters appeared to them and how strongly they identified with the social targets. Results for cognitive and emotional empathy were partly overlapping, but demonstrated several significant differences, thereby demonstrating the need to investigate the two concepts separately. Notably, stereotypes of warmth predicted both cognitive and emotional empathic responses more strongly in desirable than in undesirable scenarios, which may relate to greater freedom of response to positive (rather than negative) social outcomes permitted by society. Our data show that scenario valence mattered even more for cognitive (than for emotional) empathy because it additionally moderated the effects of perceived competence and social identification. Finally, both cognitive and emotional empathy increased as a positive function of social identification, and social identification moderated effects exerted by perceived warmth and competence (yet differently for the two types of empathy investigated). Together, these findings speak to empathic responses arising from a complex interplay between perceptions (i.e., warmth and competence), scenario valence, and social identification.
Collapse
|
46
|
Mao Y, Zhao J, Xu Y, Xiang Y. How gratitude inhibits envy: From the perspective of positive psychology. Psych J 2020; 10:384-392. [PMID: 33300284 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
With the development of positive psychology, gratitude, as a typical positive emotion, has attracted significant attention. Gratitude has a profoundly positive effect on cultivating people's positive traits, and negative emotions affect many aspects of people's daily lives. Many studies have explored the inhibiting effect of gratitude on negative emotions. In this study, based on the coping theory and the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotion, we used scenario method to discuss the inhibiting effect of trait gratitude and state gratitude on a common and typical negative emotion: situational envy. We randomly recruited 326 undergraduate students as participants and asked them to complete the Gratitude Questionnaire, Dispositional Envy Scale, state gratitude materials, and situational envy materials. Our results showed that (1) state gratitude inhibits situational envy and (2) state gratitude plays a partial mediating role between trait gratitude and situational envy. This article suggests educational field for future school should devote more attention to gratitude, and lay a good foundation for students' future development in society. Taken together, these results verify the positive role of gratitude, help to expand relevant theories about inhibiting envy, and provide a theoretical reference for cultivating people's positive traits and countering negative emotions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yidi Mao
- Department of Psychology, School of Educational Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Cognition and Hunan Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiaxu Zhao
- Department of Psychology, School of Educational Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Cognition and Hunan Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yi Xu
- Department of Psychology, School of Educational Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yanhui Xiang
- Department of Psychology, School of Educational Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Cognition and Hunan Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Isoda M. Socially relative reward valuation in the primate brain. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2020; 68:15-22. [PMID: 33307380 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Reward valuation in social contexts is by nature relative rather than absolute; it is made in reference to others. This socially relative reward valuation is based on our propensity to conduct comparisons and competitions between self and other. Exploring its neural substrate has been an active area of research in human neuroimaging. More recently, electrophysiological investigation of the macaque brain has enabled us to understand neural mechanisms underlying this valuation process at single-neuron and network levels. Here I show that shared neural networks centered at the medial prefrontal cortex and dopamine-related subcortical regions are involved in this process in humans and nonhuman primates. Thus, socially relative reward valuation is mediated by cortico-subcortically coordinated activity linking social and reward brain networks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Isoda
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Cecconi C, Poggi I, D'Errico F. Schadenfreude: Malicious Joy in Social Media Interactions. Front Psychol 2020; 11:558282. [PMID: 33281661 PMCID: PMC7689060 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.558282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The paper presents a model of Schadenfreude, pleasure at another’s misfortune, resulting in a typology of cases of this emotion. Four types are singled out: Compensation, Identification, Aversion, and Injustice Schadenfreude. The typology is first tested on a corpus of 472 comments drawn from three social media, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Then a specific corpus of comments is collected and analyzed concerning a specific case of Injustice Schadenfreude, the posts concerning Brexit, United Kingdom leaving the European Union. From the analysis, it emerges that spatial or factual closeness does not look necessary to feel Schadenfreude. Finally, a lexicometric automatic analysis is conducted on the general corpus of Italian comments collected using several hashtags and enriched by comments about the fire of Notre Dame, showing how even complex emotions like Schadenfreude can be automatically extracted from social media.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Cecconi
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication, and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Isabella Poggi
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication, and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca D'Errico
- Education, Psychology and Communication Department, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Zhang H, Sun S, Zhao L. Team Member Work Role Performance: The Organizational Benefits From Performance-Based Horizontal Pay Dispersion and Workplace Benign Envy. Front Psychol 2020; 11:566979. [PMID: 33343446 PMCID: PMC7744692 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.566979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the context of the current uncertain, complex, and interdependent work systems, teams have become organizations’ substantial working unit, which in turn challenges the traditional view of employee performance and ultimately results in the emergence of team member work role performance. Employee team-oriented work role behaviors with proficiency, adaptivity, and proactivity, which are integrated by the new construct, are so crucial to team effectiveness that many organizations keenly expect to achieve team member work role performance through implementing a dispersed pay-for-performance plan within a team. This study seeks to address the organizational practitioners’ main concern that whether pay dispersion among team members (i.e., horizontal pay dispersion, HPD) could actually help realize team member work role performance and further examines why and when an employee could respond to HPD within a team by engaging in team member work role behaviors from the perspective of the performance-shaping basis and team member’s workplace benign envy. Drawing on emotion-related theory, social comparison theory, legitimacy theory, expectation theory, and relative deprivation theory, it proposes that performance-based HPD could not only positively impact team member work role performance via workplace benign envy but also exert a direct-positive effect. Moreover, the activating effect of performance-based HPD on workplace benign envy and the mediating role are much stronger when a team member’s pay position is higher. The multi-source data including objective information and subjective perception among 362 ordinary employees within 66 Chinese organizational teams primarily supported the moderated mediation model. Yet, the direct-positive effect was not established.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Zhang
- Business School, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Shuwei Sun
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Lijing Zhao
- Business School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Baez S, Herrera E, Trujillo C, Cardona JF, Diazgranados JA, Pino M, Santamaría-García H, Ibáñez A, García AM. Classifying Parkinson's Disease Patients With Syntactic and Socio-emotional Verbal Measures. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:586233. [PMID: 33328964 PMCID: PMC7719774 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.586233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Frontostriatal disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), are characterized by progressive disruption of cortico-subcortical dopaminergic loops involved in diverse higher-order domains, including language. Indeed, syntactic and emotional language tasks have emerged as potential biomarkers of frontostriatal disturbances. However, relevant studies and models have typically considered these linguistic dimensions in isolation, overlooking the potential advantages of targeting multidimensional markers. Here, we examined whether patient classification can be improved through the joint assessment of both dimensions using sentential stimuli. We evaluated 31 early PD patients and 24 healthy controls via two syntactic measures (functional-role assignment, parsing of long-distance dependencies) and a verbal task tapping social emotions (envy, Schadenfreude) and compared their classification accuracy when analyzed in isolation and in combination. Complementarily, we replicated our approach to discriminate between patients on and off medication. Results showed that specific measures of each dimension were selectively impaired in PD. In particular, joint analysis of outcomes in functional-role assignment and Schadenfreude improved the classification accuracy of patients and controls, irrespective of their overall cognitive and affective state. These results suggest that multidimensional linguistic assessments may better capture the complexity and multi-functional impact of frontostriatal disruptions, highlighting their potential contributions in the ongoing quest for sensitive markers of PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Baez
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Eduar Herrera
- Departamento de Estudios Psicológicos, Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia
| | | | - Juan F. Cardona
- Instituto de Psicología, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | | | - Mariana Pino
- Department of Psychology, Universidad Autónoma del Caribe, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Hernando Santamaría-García
- Centro de Memoria y Cognición, Intellectus-Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, Colombia
- Department of Psychiatry-Physiology and Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Department of Psychology, Universidad Autónoma del Caribe, Barranquilla, Colombia
- Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Adolfo M. García
- Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Faculty of Education, National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo), Mendoza, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|