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Korovkin SY, Morozova EN, Nikiforova OS. Funny? Think About It! Selective effect of cognitive mechanisms of humour on insight problems. Cogn Emot 2024; 38:768-788. [PMID: 38351525 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2024.2316861] [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: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
The present study aims to elucidate whether insight problem solving could be facilitated by the cognitive component of humour. The authors take interest in whether the logical mechanisms of humour can affect how fast insight problems are solved. To that end, the authors conducted two experiments where participants solved insight problems after watching visual humorous stimuli such as videos and slideshows. The first experiment demonstrated the overall impact of facilitation by humour on insight problem solving; however, it did not show any difference in how particular logical mechanisms of humour affect the solution time of insight problems. The second experiment showed that the cognitive component of humour could selectively affect insight problems whose difficulty stems from different sources. These results suggest that the cognitive component of humour, when operationalised as logical mechanisms and schema switching, contributes to solving insight problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergei Y Korovkin
- Laboratory for Cognitive Research & Department of Psychology, Demidov Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia
| | - Ekaterina N Morozova
- Laboratory for Cognitive Research & Department of Psychology, Demidov Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia
| | - Olga S Nikiforova
- Laboratory for Cognitive Research & Department of Psychology, Demidov Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia
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2
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Chan YC, Zeitlen DC, Beaty RE. Amygdala-frontoparietal effective connectivity in creativity and humor processing. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:2585-2606. [PMID: 36773031 PMCID: PMC10028645 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Although both creativity and humor elicit experiences of surprise followed by appreciation, it remains unknown whether shared or distinct patterns of effective connectivity are involved in their processing. The present fMRI study used dynamic causal modeling and parametrical empirical Bayes analysis to examine the effective connectivity between the amygdala and frontoparietal network during two-stage creativity and humor processing. We examined processing during the setup and punch line stages for creativity and humor, including typical forms (alternate uses for creativity and incongruity-resolution humor), atypical forms (aesthetic uses for creativity and nonsense humor), and baseline forms. Our focus was on the mesolimbic pathway during the punch line stage. We found that the amygdala plays a key role in expectation violation and appreciation. Broadly, amygdala-to-IFG connectivity was important for evaluating typical and atypical forms of both creativity and humor, while amygdala-to-precuneus connectivity was involved in evaluating typical forms. Amygdala-to-IFG connectivity was involved in the expectation violation to resolution stage of processing for typical and atypical forms of creativity and humor. Amygdala-to-precuneus connectivity was involved in processing the novelty and usefulness of typical forms of creativity (alternate uses) and understanding others' intentions in typical forms of humor (incongruity-resolution). Interestingly, VTA-to-amygdala connectivity was involved in processing the appreciation of both typical (incongruity-resolution humor) and atypical (nonsense humor) forms of humor while amygdala-to-VTA connectivity was involved in processing the appreciation of atypical (aesthetic uses) forms of creativity. Altogether, these findings suggest that the amygdala and frontoparietal circuitry are critical for creativity and humor processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chen Chan
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Daniel C Zeitlen
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Roger E Beaty
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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3
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Axelrod V, Rozier C, Sohier E, Lehongre K, Adam C, Lambrecq V, Navarro V, Naccache L. Intracranial study in humans: Neural spectral changes during watching comedy movie of Charlie Chaplin. Neuropsychologia 2023; 185:108558. [PMID: 37061128 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Humor plays a prominent role in our lives. Thus, understanding the cognitive and neural mechanisms of humor is particularly important. Previous studies that investigated neural substrates of humor used functional MRI and to a lesser extent EEG. In the present study, we conducted intracranial recording in human patients, enabling us to obtain the signal with high temporal precision from within specific brain locations. Our analysis focused on the temporal lobe and the surrounding areas, the temporal lobe was most densely covered in our recording. Thirteen patients watched a fragment of a Charlie Chaplin movie. An independent group of healthy participants rated the same movie fragment, helping us to identify the most funny and the least funny frames of the movie. We compared neural activity occurring during the most funny and least funny frames across frequencies in the range of 1-170 Hz. The most funny compared to least funny parts of the movie were associated with activity modulation in the broadband high-gamma (70-170 Hz; mostly activation) and to a lesser extent gamma band (40-69Hz; activation) and low frequencies (1-12 Hz, delta, theta, alpha bands; mostly deactivation). With regard to regional specificity, we found three types of brain areas: (I) temporal pole, middle and inferior temporal gyrus (both anterior and posterior) in which there was both activation in the high-gamma/gamma bands and deactivation in low frequencies; (II) ventral part of the temporal lobe such as the fusiform gyrus, in which there was mostly deactivation the low frequencies; (III) posterior temporal cortex and its environment, such as the middle occipital and the temporo-parietal junction, in which there was activation in the high-gamma/gamma band. Overall, our results suggest that humor appreciation might be achieved by neural activity across the frequency spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vadim Axelrod
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel.
| | - Camille Rozier
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau, ICM, INSERM, CNRS, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Elisa Sohier
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau, ICM, INSERM, CNRS, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Katia Lehongre
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau, ICM, INSERM, CNRS, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Claude Adam
- AP-HP, Epilepsy Unit, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, DMU Neurosciences, Paris, France
| | - Virginie Lambrecq
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau, ICM, INSERM, CNRS, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France; AP-HP, EEG Unit, Neurophysiology Department, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, DMU Neurosciences, Paris, France; AP-HP, Epilepsy Unit, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, DMU Neurosciences, Paris, France
| | - Vincent Navarro
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau, ICM, INSERM, CNRS, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France; AP-HP, EEG Unit, Neurophysiology Department, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, DMU Neurosciences, Paris, France; AP-HP, Epilepsy Unit, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, DMU Neurosciences, Paris, France; AP-HP, Center of Reference for Rare Epilepsies, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Lionel Naccache
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau, ICM, INSERM, CNRS, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France; AP-HP, Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Department of Neurophysiology, 47-83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, Paris 75013, France
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4
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Kruithof ES, Klaus J, Schutter DJLG. The human cerebellum in reward anticipation and reward outcome processing: An activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 149:105171. [PMID: 37060968 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
The cerebellum generates internal prediction models and actively compares anticipated and actual outcomes in order to reach a desired end state. In this process, reward can serve as a reinforcer that shapes internal prediction models, enabling context-appropriate behavior. While the involvement of the cerebellum in reward processing has been established in animals, there is no detailed account of which cerebellar regions are involved in reward anticipation and reward outcome processing in humans. To this end, an activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies was performed to investigate cerebellar functional activity patterns associated with reward anticipation and reward outcome processing in healthy adults. Results showed that reward anticipation (k=31) was associated with regional activity in the bilateral anterior lobe, bilateral lobule VI, left Crus I and the posterior vermis, while reward outcome (k=16) was associated with regional activity in the declive and left lobule VI. The findings of this meta-analysis show distinct involvement of the cerebellum in reward anticipation and reward outcome processing as part of a predictive coding routine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline S Kruithof
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Jana Klaus
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Dennis J L G Schutter
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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5
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Beyond shallow feelings of complex affect: Non-motor correlates of subjective emotional experience in Parkinson's disease. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281959. [PMID: 36827296 PMCID: PMC9955984 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Affective disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD) concern several components of emotion. However, research on subjective feeling in PD is scarce and has produced overall varying results. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the subjective emotional experience and its relationship with autonomic symptoms and other non-motor features in PD patients. We used a battery of film excerpts to elicit Amusement, Anger, Disgust, Fear, Sadness, Tenderness, and Neutral State, in 28 PD patients and 17 healthy controls. Self-report scores of emotion category, intensity, and valence were analyzed. In the PD group, we explored the association between emotional self-reported scores and clinical scales assessing autonomic dysregulation, depression, REM sleep behavior disorder, and cognitive impairment. Patient clustering was assessed by considering relevant associations. Tenderness occurrence and intensity of Tenderness and Amusement were reduced in the PD patients. Tenderness occurrence was mainly associated with the overall cognitive status and the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms. In contrast, the intensity and valence reported for the experience of Amusement correlated with the prevalence of urinary symptoms. We identified five patient clusters, which differed significantly in their profile of non-motor symptoms and subjective feeling. Our findings further suggest the possible existence of a PD phenotype with more significant changes in subjective emotional experience. We concluded that the subjective experience of complex emotions is impaired in PD. Non-motor feature grouping suggests the existence of disease phenotypes profiled according to specific deficits in subjective emotional experience, with potential clinical implications for the adoption of precision medicine in PD. Further research on larger sample sizes, combining subjective and physiological measures of emotion with additional clinical features, is needed to extend our findings.
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Chutko LS, Surushkina SY, Yakovenko EA. [Disorders of social cognition in children]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2023; 123:34-40. [PMID: 36719117 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro202312301134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The article presents an overview of scientific publications devoted to the study of social cognition as a separate cognitive function and its role in the formation of normal mental development. Modern ideas about the « theory of mind « and its neurobiological foundations are considered. The results of studies of social competence in children with autism, specific language impairment, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and specific learning disorder are presented. The main neurocognitive deficits observed in violation of social cognition in children and the possibility of their pharmacological correction are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- L S Chutko
- N. Behtereva Institute of the Human Brain of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - S Yu Surushkina
- N. Behtereva Institute of the Human Brain of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - E A Yakovenko
- N. Behtereva Institute of the Human Brain of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
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7
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Chan YC, Wang CY, Chou TL. Money or funny: Effective connectivity during service recovery with a DCM-PEB approach. Biol Psychol 2023; 176:108464. [PMID: 36435295 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
While monetary compensation is considered the most effective service recovery strategy, relief theory claims that humor may also be useful in service recovery situations. This study investigated the effects of humor in service recovery using dynamic causal modeling and parametric empirical Bayes analysis to identify effective connectivity (EC) patterns in the dopaminergic reward system across four conditions representing different service recovery strategies: monetary compensation and humor (MH), monetary compensation and an apology (MA), non-monetary compensation using humor (H), and non-monetary compensation using an apology (CON, the control condition). The findings support the importance of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in the monetary compensation (MH and MA) conditions and the amygdala in the non-monetary compensation (H and CON) conditions. Monetary compensation (MH and MA) resulted in right substantia nigra (rSN) to NAc EC, suggesting the processing of recovery satisfaction associated with perceived outcome fairness. Conversely, non-monetary compensation strategies (H and CON) resulted in left substantia nigra (lSN) to amygdala EC, suggesting the processing of satisfaction related to perceived interactional fairness. The use of humor for service recovery resulted in VTA-to-lSN-to-amygdala EC during humor appreciation, while the use of apologies (CON and MA) resulted in lSN-to-amygdala and lSN-to-VTA connectivity. Surprisingly, processing satisfaction in the MH condition did not activate the amygdala during humor appreciation. Coping humor could be norm-violating for service recovery, and its effectiveness depends on multiple factors. The results suggest that monetary compensation, humorous responses, and apologies play key roles in neurological responses to service recovery strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chen Chan
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
| | - Chen-Ya Wang
- Institute of Service Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Li Chou
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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8
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Chan YC, Chou TL. Effective connectivity of the amygdala during the consumption of erotic, sexual humor, and monetary rewards with a DCM-PEB approach. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0279281. [PMID: 36580445 PMCID: PMC9799303 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
While a large body of research exists on the processing of monetary rewards, less is known about sexual reward processing. This study aimed to identify effective connectivity for the consumption of sexual (erotic and sexual humor) and non-sexual (monetary) rewards, using dynamic causal modeling and parametric empirical Bayes with subjective hedonic ratings included. Our results support the importance of the amygdala for sexual humor amusement, the nucleus accumbens (NAc) for monetary rewards, and the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC) for erotic pleasure. The amygdala, NAc, and lOFC are major dopaminergic targets with known roles in the reward circuitry. Appreciating sexual humor was associated with ventral tegmental area (VTA) to amygdala connectivity. Enjoying monetary gains was associated with VTA-to-NAc and amygdala-to-NAc connectivity. The mesolimbic dopamine system originates in the VTA and sends major projections to the amygdala and NAc. Specifically, sexual humor appreciation was associated with effective connectivity from the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) to the amygdala, suggesting that subjective pleasure triggers activation of the vmPFC which exerts an excitatory influence on the amygdala. Unexpectedly, processing pleasure from monetary gains was linked to VTA-to-vmPFC connectivity, rather than the expected vmPFC-to-NAc connectivity. Importantly, we identified core roles for the amygdala. Sexual humor appreciation was associated with VTA-to-amygdala and vmPFC-to-amygdala effective connectivity, while we found amygdala-to-lOFC connectivity for erotic pleasure and amygdala-to-NAc connectivity for pleasure from monetary gains. Our findings represent an important step in understanding how effective connectivity in the mesocorticolimbic-amygdala circuitry differs for processing the consumption of sexual and monetary rewards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chen Chan
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
| | - Tai-Li Chou
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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9
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Zauli FM, Del Vecchio M, Russo S, Mariani V, Pelliccia V, d'Orio P, Sartori I, Avanzini P, Caruana F. The web of laughter: frontal and limbic projections of the anterior cingulate cortex revealed by cortico-cortical evoked potential from sites eliciting laughter. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210180. [PMID: 36126672 PMCID: PMC9489285 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
According to an evolutionist approach, laughter is a multifaceted behaviour affecting social, emotional, motor and speech functions. Albeit previous studies have suggested that high-frequency electrical stimulation (HF-ES) of the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC) may induce bursts of laughter-suggesting a crucial contribution of this region to the cortical control of this behaviour-the complex nature of laughter implies that outward connections from the pACC may reach and affect a complex network of frontal and limbic regions. Here, we studied the effective connectivity of the pACC by analysing the cortico-cortical evoked potentials elicited by single-pulse electrical stimulation of pACC sites whose HF-ES elicited laughter in 12 patients. Once these regions were identified, we studied their clinical response to HF-ES, to reveal the specific functional target of pACC representation of laughter. Results reveal that the neural representation of laughter in the pACC interacts with several frontal and limbic regions, including cingulate, orbitofrontal, medial prefrontal and anterior insular regions-involved in interoception, emotion, social reward and motor behaviour. These results offer neuroscientific support to the evolutionist approach to laughter, providing a possible mechanistic explanation of the interplay between this behaviour and emotion regulation, speech production and social interactions. This article is part of the theme issue 'Cracking the laugh code: laughter through the lens of biology, psychology and neuroscience'.
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Affiliation(s)
- F M Zauli
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences 'L. Sacco', University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Philosophy 'Piero Martinetti', University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- 'Claudio Munari' Epilepsy Surgery Center, ASST GOM Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - M Del Vecchio
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Parma, Italy
| | - S Russo
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences 'L. Sacco', University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Philosophy 'Piero Martinetti', University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Allen Institute, Seattle, WA
| | - V Mariani
- Neurology and Stroke Unit Division, Circolo Hospital ASST Settelaghi University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - V Pelliccia
- 'Claudio Munari' Epilepsy Surgery Center, ASST GOM Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - P d'Orio
- 'Claudio Munari' Epilepsy Surgery Center, ASST GOM Niguarda, Milan, Italy
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Parma, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma
| | - I Sartori
- 'Claudio Munari' Epilepsy Surgery Center, ASST GOM Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - P Avanzini
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Parma, Italy
| | - F Caruana
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Parma, Italy
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10
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Chan YC, Hsu WC, Chou TL. Differential Neural Substrates for Responding to Monetary, Sexual Humor, and Erotic Rewards. Biol Psychol 2022; 172:108385. [PMID: 35777520 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108385] [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: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Sexual humor involves neural mechanisms related to both humor and sexual arousal. However, evidence on the role of the amygdala in processing sexual humor is lacking. Unlike erotic stimuli that directly involve a biological drive, sexual humor gains its value through learned associations. Processes related to responding to erotic versus monetary rewards have been identified in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC) along a postero-anterior axis, but it is less clear whether these processes are also active during the appreciation of sexual humor. Results showed the processing of sexual humor appreciation in the amygdala. Psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis further identified functional connectivity in the amygdala-midbrain coupling during sexual humor versus monetary gains appreciation. The present study provides evidence demonstrating roles for the posterior OFC (pOFC) and anterior OFC (aOFC) in distinguishing between sexual (sexual humor and erotic) and non-sexual (monetary) rewards. The experience of sexual pleasure induced by erotic rewards involves phylogenetically and ontogenetically older regions in the pOFC, while the experience of receiving monetary gains involves the aOFC. This study also provides additional insights into sexual humor appreciation in the pOFC, with findings of a postero-anterior dissociation in the processing of sexual humor appreciation. PPI analysis revealed functional connectivity in the pOFC-amygdala coupling in response to both types of sexual rewards versus monetary rewards. Together, our results suggest that the amygdala serves as a reward hub, especially in processing sexual humor versus monetary gains appreciation. Functional connectivity analysis showed amygdala-midbrain and pOFC-amygdala coupling during the appreciation of sexual humor. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT: The data underlying this article is available from the corresponding author upon request.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chen Chan
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
| | - Wei-Chin Hsu
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Ph.D. Degree Program, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Li Chou
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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11
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Vanutelli ME, Manfredi M, Amir O, Lucchiari C. Editorial: Not Funny! A [Super] Serious Multidisciplinary Exploration of Humor Creativity. Front Psychol 2022; 13:834558. [PMID: 35185740 PMCID: PMC8850352 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.834558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mirella Manfredi
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ori Amir
- Department of Psychology, Pomona College, Claremont, CA, United States
| | - Claudio Lucchiari
- Department of Philosophy Piero Martinetti, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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12
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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.
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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
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13
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Zhou Z, Wu J, Luo H, Guo Y, Tu M, Yu Q, Zhang L. The effect of humor on insight problem-solving. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.111105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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14
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Brawer J, Amir O. Mapping the "Funny Bone": Neuroanatomical Correlates of Humor Creativity in Professional Comedians. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 16:915-925. [PMID: 33908608 PMCID: PMC8421700 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
What are the neuroanatomical correlates of expertise in a specific creative domain? Professional comedians, amateurs and controls underwent a T1 MRI anatomical scan. Measures of cortical surface area (gyrification and sulcal depth) and thickness were extracted for each participant. Compared to controls, professional comedians had a greater cortical surface area in the left inferior temporal gyrus, angular gyrus, precuneus and right medial prefrontal cortex. These regions have been previously implicated in abstract, divergent thinking and the default-mode network. The high degree of overlap between the regions of greater surface area in professional comedians with the regions showing greater activation in the same group during comedy improvisation in our previous work (particularly the temporal regions and angular gyrus) suggests that these regions may be specifically involved in humor creativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Brawer
- Neuroscience, Pomona College, Claremont, California, USA
| | - Ori Amir
- Psychological Science, Pomona College, Claremont, California, USA
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15
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Enhancement of semantic integration reasoning by tRNS. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:736-746. [PMID: 33796985 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00885-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The right hemisphere is involved with the integrative processes necessary to achieve global coherence during reasoning and discourse processing. Specifically, the right temporal lobe has been proven to facilitate the processing of distant associate relationships, such as generating novel ideas. Previous studies showed a specific swing of alpha and gamma oscillatory activity over the right parieto-occipital lobe and the right anterior temporal lobe respectively, when people solve semantic problems with a specific strategy, i.e., insight problem-solving. In this study, we investigated the specificity of the right parietal and temporal lobes for semantic integration using transcranial Random Noise Stimulation (tRNS). We administered a set of pure semantics (i.e., Compound Remote Associates [CRA]) and visuo-semantic problems (i.e., Rebus Puzzles) to a sample of 31 healthy volunteers. Behavioral results showed that tRNS stimulation over the right temporal lobe enhances CRA accuracy (+12%), while stimulation on the right parietal lobe causes a decrease of response time on the same task (-2,100 ms). No effects were detected for Rebus Puzzles. Our findings corroborate the involvement of the right temporal and parietal lobes when solving purely semantic problems but not when they involve visuo-semantic material, also providing causal evidence for their postulated different roles in the semantic integration process and promoting tRNS as a candidate tool to boost verbal reasoning in humans.
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16
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Wu X, Guo T, Zhang C, Hong TY, Cheng CM, Wei P, Hsieh JC, Luo J. From "Aha!" to "Haha!" Using Humor to Cope with Negative Stimuli. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:2238-2250. [PMID: 33258955 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Humor has been considered an effective emotion regulation strategy, and some behavioral studies have examined its superior effects on negative emotion regulation. However, its neural mechanisms remain unknown. Our functional magnetic resonance imaging study directly compared the emotion regulation effects and neural bases of humorous coping (reappraisal) and ordinary reappraisal following exposure to negative pictures. The behavioral results suggested that humorous reappraisal was more effective in downregulating negative emotions and upregulating positive emotions both in the short and long term. We also found 2 cooperative neural pathways involved in coping with negative stimuli by means of humor: the "hippocampal-thalamic-frontal pathway" and the "amygdala-cerebellar pathway." The former is associated with the restructuring of mental representations of negative situations and accompanied by an insightful ("Aha!") experience, while the latter is associated with humorous emotional release and accompanied by an expression of laughter ("Haha!"). Furthermore, the degree of hippocampal functional connectivity with both the thalamus and frontal cortex was positively correlated with changes in positive emotion, and this result implied that the degree of emotion regulation could be strongly directly related to the depth of cognitive reconstruction. These findings highlight that regulating negative emotions with humor involves cognitive restructuring and the release of positive emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China.,Department of Psychology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Tingting Guo
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Psychology, School of Educational Science, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen 041004, China
| | - Tzu-Yi Hong
- Institute of Brain Science, School of Medicine, Brain Research Center, Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11267, Taiwan.,Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11267, Taiwan
| | - Chou-Ming Cheng
- Institute of Brain Science, School of Medicine, Brain Research Center, Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11267, Taiwan.,Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11267, Taiwan
| | - Ping Wei
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Jen-Chuen Hsieh
- Institute of Brain Science, School of Medicine, Brain Research Center, Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11267, Taiwan.,Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11267, Taiwan
| | - Jing Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China.,Department of Psychology, Shaoxing University, China, 312000
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17
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Lin FH, Lee HJ, Kuo WJ, Jääskeläinen IP. Multivariate Identification of Functional Neural Networks Underpinning Humorous Movie Viewing. Front Psychol 2021; 11:547353. [PMID: 33633619 PMCID: PMC7901965 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.547353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
While univariate functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data analysis methods have been utilized successfully to map brain areas associated with cognitive and emotional functions during viewing of naturalistic stimuli such as movies, multivariate methods might provide the means to study how brain structures act in concert as networks during free viewing of movie clips. Here, to achieve this, we generalized the partial least squares (PLS) analysis, based on correlations between voxels, experimental conditions, and behavioral measures, to identify large-scale neuronal networks activated during the first time and repeated watching of three ∼5-min comedy clips. We identified networks that were similarly activated across subjects during free viewing of the movies, including the ones associated with self-rated experienced humorousness that were composed of the frontal, parietal, and temporal areas acting in concert. In conclusion, the PLS method seems to be well suited for the joint analysis of multi-subject neuroimaging and behavioral data to quantify a functionally relevant brain network activity without the need for explicit temporal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fa-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland
| | - Hsin-Ju Lee
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Wen-Jui Kuo
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Iiro P Jääskeläinen
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland.,International Laboratory of Social Neurobiology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
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18
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Zhang W, Zhuang K, Chen Q, Shi B, Qiu J, Wang N. Relationship between self-defeating humor and the Gray matter volume in the orbital frontal cortex: the moderating effect of divergent thinking. Brain Imaging Behav 2020; 15:2168-2177. [PMID: 33210225 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-020-00412-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The self-defeating humor style is characterized by the excessive use of self-mockery, fawning over others and ineffective denial of negative emotions. The differences in brain structures responsible for self-defeating humor and the role of divergent thinking (DT) in this relationship have not been directly investigated in a large sample. Using voxel-based morphometry (VBM), we identified the association between regional gray matter volume (GMV) and self-defeating humor (assessed by the Humor Style Questionnaire) in 284 participants. Then, the role of DT (assessed by the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, TTCT) in the relationship between humor and the related brain regions was examined in the participants (N = 280). The results showed that self-defeating humor was significantly positively associated with the regional GMV in the left orbital frontal cortex (OFC) and that DT had a moderating effect on this relationship. Among the individuals with higher DT, a strong positive correlation was observed between self-defeating humor and the OFC, but among individuals with lower DT, this correlation was weaker. These results reveal that the interaction between brain structures and DT plays an important role in humor, thus providing new evidence enhancing our understanding of the mechanism of humor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition and School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Kaixiang Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China.,School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Qunlin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China.,School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Baoguo Shi
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition and School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China.
| | - Jiang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China.,School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Nan Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition and School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
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19
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Tabibnia G. An affective neuroscience model of boosting resilience in adults. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 115:321-350. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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20
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Chatzichristos C, Morante M, Andreadis N, Kofidis E, Kopsinis Y, Theodoridis S. Emojis influence autobiographical memory retrieval from reading words: An fMRI-based study. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0234104. [PMID: 32609778 PMCID: PMC7329082 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in computer and communications technology have deeply affected the way we communicate. Social media have emerged as a major means of human communication. However, a major limitation in such media is the lack of non-verbal stimuli, which sometimes hinders the understanding of the message, and in particular the associated emotional content. In an effort to compensate for this, people started to use emoticons, which are combinations of keyboard characters that resemble facial expressions, and more recently their evolution: emojis, namely, small colorful images that resemble faces, actions and daily life objects. This paper presents evidence of the effect of emojis on memory retrieval through a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) study. A total number of fifteen healthy volunteers were recruited for the experiment, during which successive stimuli were presented, containing words with intense emotional content combined with emojis, either with congruent or incongruent emotional content. Volunteers were asked to recall a memory related to the stimulus. The study of the reaction times showed that emotional incongruity among word+emoji combinations led to longer reaction times in memory retrieval compared to congruent combinations. General Linear Model (GLM) and Blind Source Separation (BSS) methods have been tested in assessing the influence of the emojis on the process of memory retrieval. The analysis of the fMRI data showed that emotional incongruity among word+emoji combinations activated the Broca's area (BA44 and BA45) in both hemispheres, the Supplementary Motor Area (SMA) and the inferior prefrontal cortex (BA47), compared to congruent combinations. Furthermore, compared to pseudowords, word+emoji combinations activated the left Broca's area (BA44 and BA45), the amygdala, the right temporal pole (BA48) and several frontal regions including the SMA and the inferior prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos Chatzichristos
- Computer Technology Institute & Press “Diophantus” (CTI), Patras, Greece
- STADIUS, Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Manuel Morante
- Computer Technology Institute & Press “Diophantus” (CTI), Patras, Greece
- Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Eleftherios Kofidis
- Computer Technology Institute & Press “Diophantus” (CTI), Patras, Greece
- Department of Statistics and Insurance Science, University of Piraeus, Greece
| | | | - Sergios Theodoridis
- Computer Technology Institute & Press “Diophantus” (CTI), Patras, Greece
- Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
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21
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Yankovitz BE, Mashal N. Can brain stimulation improve semantic joke comprehension? JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2020.1756832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nira Mashal
- The School of Education, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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22
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Manfredi M, Proverbio AM, Sanchez Mello de Pinho P, Ribeiro B, Comfort WE, Murrins Marques L, Boggio PS. Electrophysiological indexes of ToM and non-ToM humor in healthy adults. Exp Brain Res 2020; 238:789-805. [PMID: 32107576 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-020-05753-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The cognitive processes involved in humor comprehension were analyzed by directly comparing the time course of brain activity associated with the perception of slapstick humor and that associated with the comprehension of humor requiring theory of mind (ToM). Four different comic strips (strips containing humorous scenes that required ToM, non-ToM humorous strips, non-humorous semantically coherent strips and non-humorous semantically incoherent strips) were presented to participants, while their EEG response was recorded. Results showed that both of the humorous comic strips and the semantically incongruent strip elicited an N400 effect, suggesting similar cognitive mechanisms underlying the processing of incongruent and humorous comic strips. The results also showed that the humorous ToM strips elicited a frontal late positive (LP) response, possibly reflecting the active deployment of ToM abilities such as perspective-taking and empathy that allow for the resolution and interpretation of apparently incongruent situations. In addition, the LP response was positively correlated with ratings of perceived amusement as well as individual empathy scores, suggesting that the increased LP response to ToM humorous strips reflects the combined activation of neural mechanisms involved in the experience of amusement and ToM abilities. Overall, humor comprehension appears to demand distinct cognitive steps such as the detection of incongruent semantic components, the construction of semantic coherence, and the appreciation of humoristic elements such as maladaptive emotional reactions. Our results show that the deployment of these distinct cognitive steps is at least partially dependent on individual empathic abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirella Manfredi
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. .,Developmental Psychology: Infancy and Childhood, University of Zurich, Binzmuehlestrasse 14, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | | | - Pamella Sanchez Mello de Pinho
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Ribeiro
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - William Edgar Comfort
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucas Murrins Marques
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Paulo Sérgio Boggio
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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23
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Salvi C, Beeman M, Bikson M, McKinley R, Grafman J. TDCS to the right anterior temporal lobe facilitates insight problem-solving. Sci Rep 2020; 10:946. [PMID: 31969588 PMCID: PMC6976642 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57724-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [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: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Problem-solving is essential for advances in cultural, social, and scientific knowledge. It is also one of the most challenging cognitive processes to facilitate. Some problem-solving is deliberate, but frequently people solve problems with a sudden insight, also known as a Eureka or "Aha!" moment. The advantage of solving problems via insight is that these solutions are more accurate, relying on a unique pattern of neural activity, compared to deliberative strategies. The right Anterior Temporal Lobe (rATL), putatively involved in semantic integration, is distinctively activated when people experience an insight. The rATL may contribute to the recognition of distant semantic relations that support insight solutions, although fMRI and EEG evidence for its involvement is, by nature, correlational. In this study, we investigate if focal sub-threshold neuromodulation to the rATL facilitates insight problem-solving. In three different groups, using a within- and between-subjects design, we tested the causal role of this brain region in problem-solving, by applying High Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to the rATL (active and sham condition) or the left frontopolar region while participants attempted to solve Compound Remote Associates problems before, during and after stimulation. Participants solved a higher percentage of problems, overall, and specifically by insight when they received rATL stimulation, compared to pre-stimulation, and compared to sham and left frontopolar stimulation. These results confirm the crucial role played by the rATL in insight problem-solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Salvi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Mark Beeman
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Marom Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, USA
| | - Richard McKinley
- Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Jordan Grafman
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA
- Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurology, Cognitive Neurology, and Alzheimer's Center, Department of Psychiatry, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
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24
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Talami F, Vaudano AE, Meletti S. Motor and Limbic System Contribution to Emotional Laughter across the Lifespan. Cereb Cortex 2019; 30:3381-3391. [PMID: 31848572 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Laughter is a universal human behavior generated by the cooperation of different systems toward the construction of an expressive vocal pattern. Given the sensitivity of neuroimaging techniques to movements, the neural mechanisms underlying laughter expression remain unclear. Herein, we characterized the neural correlates of emotional laughter using the onsets and the duration of laughter bursts to inform functional magnetic resonance imaging. Laughter-related blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) increases involved both the motor (motor cortex, supplementary motor area, frontal operculum) and the emotional/limbic (anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, n. accumbens, hippocampus) systems, as well as modulatory circuitries encompassing the basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum. BOLD changes related to the 2 s preceding the laughter outbreak were selectively observed at the temporo-occipital junction and the periaqueductal gray matter, supporting the role of the former in the detection of incongruity and the gating role of the latter in the initiation of spontaneous laughter. Moreover, developmental changes were identified in laughter processing, consisting in a greater engagement of the reward circuitry in younger subjects; conversely, the default mode network appears more activated in older participants. Our findings contribute valuable information about the processing of real-life humorous materials and suggest a close link between laughter-related motor, affective, and cognitive elements, confirming its complex and multi-faceted nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Talami
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neural Sciences, Center for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy
| | - Anna Elisabetta Vaudano
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neural Sciences, Center for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy.,Neurology Unit, OCB Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Modena, 41100 Modena, Italy
| | - Stefano Meletti
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neural Sciences, Center for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy.,Neurology Unit, OCB Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Modena, 41100 Modena, Italy
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25
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Manfredi M, Proverbio AM, Marques LM, Ribeiro B, Yumi Nakao Morello L, Boggio PS. Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation of MPFC enhances humor processing. Soc Neurosci 2019; 15:199-213. [DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2019.1674687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mirella Manfredi
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Lucas Murrins Marques
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Ribeiro
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Letícia Yumi Nakao Morello
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Sergio Boggio
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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26
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Wu X, Guo T, Tan T, Zhang W, Qin S, Fan J, Luo J. Superior emotional regulating effects of creative cognitive reappraisal. Neuroimage 2019; 200:540-551. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.06.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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27
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Liu X, Chen Y, Ge J, Mao L. Funny or Angry? Neural Correlates of Individual Differences in Aggressive Humor Processing. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1849. [PMID: 31496969 PMCID: PMC6712686 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Humor has been a hot topic for social cognition in recent years. The present study focused on the social attribute of humor and showed different stories to participants, which were divided into four types according to the model of humor style, to explore the underlying neural mechanism of point-to-self aggressive humor and how individual differences modulated it. Measuring the degree of anger and funniness, results suggested that aggressive humor helped us in social communication by reducing the degree of anger. The neural activities showed that bilateral temporal lobes and frontal lobes played a synergistic role in the point-to-self aggressive humor processing, while point-to-self non-aggressive humor was dominant in the left-side brain. Results from the region of interest (ROI) analysis showed that the individual differences of the self-control level and the self-construal level may influence the neural processing of point-to-self aggressive humor by modulating the activated levels and patterns of the right inferior orbital frontal gyrus, the right superior temporal lobe, and the right superior frontal lobe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Liu
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yueti Chen
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianqiao Ge
- Center for MRI Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lihua Mao
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
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28
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Patrikelis P, Lucci G, Alexoudi A, Korfias S, Messinis L, Nasios G, Papasilekas T, Sakas D, Gatzonis S. Addressing Evidence Linking Secondary Alexithymia to Aberrant Humor Processing. Behav Neurol 2019; 2019:1803624. [PMID: 31396292 PMCID: PMC6668559 DOI: 10.1155/2019/1803624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review, we explore current literature and assess evidence linking secondary (acquired) alexithymia to aberrant humor processing, in terms of their neurobiological underpinnings. In addition, we suggest a possible common neuropathological substrate between secondary alexithymia and deficits in humor appreciation, by drawing on neurophysiologic and neuroradiological evidence, as well as on a recent and unique single-case study showing the cooccurrence of secondary alexithymia and deficit in humor appreciation. In summary, what emerges from the literature is that the cortical midline structures, in particular the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and the insular cortex, seem to play a crucial role in the expression of both alexithymia and defective humor processing, while though to a lesser extent, a right hemisphere and bilateral frontoparietal contribution becomes evident. Neurobiological evidence of secondary alexithymia and aberrant humor processing points to the putative role of ACC/mPFC and the insular cortex in representing crucial processing nodes whose damage may produce both the above clinical conditions. We believe that the association of secondary alexithymia and aberrant humor processing, especially humor appreciation deficit, and their correlation with specific brain regions, mainly ACG/mPFC, as emerged from the literature, may be of some heuristic importance. Increased awareness on this topic may be of aid for neurosurgeons when accessing emotion-relevant structures, as well as for neuropsychologists to intensify their efforts to plan evidence-based neurorehabilitative interventions to alleviate the deleterious effects of such interpersonal communication deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panayiotis Patrikelis
- First Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
- Department of Technologies, Communication and Society, International University of Rome “G. Marconi”, Italy
| | - Giuliana Lucci
- Department of Technologies, Communication and Society, International University of Rome “G. Marconi”, Italy
| | - Athanasia Alexoudi
- First Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Stefanos Korfias
- First Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Lambros Messinis
- Neuropsychology Section, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, University Hospital of Patras and University of Patras Medical School, Greece
| | - Grigorios Nasios
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Greece
| | - Themistoklis Papasilekas
- First Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Damianos Sakas
- First Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Stylianos Gatzonis
- First Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
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29
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Dynamics of impaired humour processing in schizophrenia - An EEG effective connectivity study. Schizophr Res 2019; 209:113-128. [PMID: 31103215 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Specific language and communication abilities, such as humour comprehension, are commonly impaired in schizophrenia. The present study investigates the dynamics of the humour-related neural network underlying this deficit. Specifically, we focused on the abnormalities of information flow in schizophrenia within the fronto-temporo-parietal circuit. We estimated the direction and strength of cortical information flow in the time course of humour processing by the EEG Directed Transfer Function. The study included 40 schizophrenia outpatients and 40 healthy controls (age-sex-education matched) assessed with an EEG punchline-based humour comprehension task (written and cartoon jokes). The linear mixed models procedure was used to test group effects across three processes: 1. incongruity detection, 2. incongruity resolution and elaboration, 3. complete humour processing. Conjunction maps for both types of jokes were created to investigate fundamental between-group differences, beyond the context of modality. Clinical subjects indicated a lower level of understanding of the funny punchlines, indicated absurd punchlines as more understandable and gave higher funniness ratings to both absurd and neutral punchlines. The EEG effective connectivity results revealed that humour processing in schizophrenia engages alternative circuits, exhibiting a pronounced abnormal leftward shifted lateralization related to diminished activity of the right hemisphere in fronto-temporo-parietal regions. In conclusion, the present paper presents the dynamics of cortical propagation of information in the humour-related circuit as a neural substrate of humour impairment in schizophrenia.
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Pawełczyk A, Kotlicka-Antczak M, Łojek E, Pawełczyk T. Preliminary study of higher-order language and extralinguistic impairments in individuals with high clinical risk of psychosis and first episode of schizophrenia. Early Interv Psychiatry 2019; 13:369-378. [PMID: 28857488 DOI: 10.1111/eip.12482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2017] [Revised: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AIM Higher-order language functions are associated with understanding indirect speech acts, lexical-semantic processes, the understanding and production of prosody, discourse production and comprehension. Only a few studies imply that language abnormalities may be present in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHR) and first-episode of schizophrenia (FE). The purpose of this study was to test the presence of higher-order language dysfunctions in UHR and FE subjects using a standardized comprehensive test battery. METHODS Twenty patients experiencing FE schizophrenia, 33 UHR individuals and 20 healthy controls (HC) took part in the study. Higher-order language and extralinguistic abilities were evaluated using the Right Hemisphere Language Battery (RHLB-PL). The battery consisted of tests covering the comprehension of implicit information, lexico-semantic processing, understanding humour, making inappropriate remarks and comments, understanding and explaining metaphors, understanding prosody and appropriateness of behaviour in communication settings. RESULTS The UHR patients scored lower than HC when comprehending implicit information, discourse and in areas associated with the effectiveness of interpersonal communication; however, they scored higher than the FE participants in explanation of metaphors and processing language information in the context of general knowledge. The FE participants scored lower than healthy controls in comprehension of implicit information, explanation of metaphors, discourse understanding, processing language information in the context of general knowledge and effectiveness of interpersonal communication. CONCLUSIONS The higher-order language dysfunctions mediated by the right hemisphere appear to be present in subjects at UHR of schizophrenia and those experiencing their FE. The results may play a crucial role in diagnostic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Pawełczyk
- Chair of Psychiatry, Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Magdalena Kotlicka-Antczak
- Chair of Psychiatry, Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Emila Łojek
- Chair of Neuropsychology, Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Pawełczyk
- Chair of Psychiatry, Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
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31
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Hu X, Zhuang C, Wang F, Liu YJ, Im CH, Zhang D. fNIRS Evidence for Recognizably Different Positive Emotions. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:120. [PMID: 31024278 PMCID: PMC6465574 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The behavioral differentiation of positive emotions has recently been studied in terms of their discrete adaptive functions or appraising profiles. Some preliminary neurophysiological evidences have been found with electroencephalography or autonomic nervous system measurements such as heart rate, skin conductance, etc. However, the brain's hemodynamic responses to different positive emotions remain largely unknown. In the present study, the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technique was employed. With this tool, we for the first time reported recognizable discrete positive emotions using fNIRS signals. Thirteen participants watched 30 emotional video clips to elicit 10 typical kinds of positive emotions (joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe, and love), and their frontal neural activities were simultaneously recorded with a 24-channel fNIRS system. The multidimensional scaling analysis of participants' subjective ratings on these 10 positive emotions revealed three distinct clusters, which could be interpreted as "playfulness" for amusement, joy, interest, "encouragement" for awe, gratitude, hope, inspiration, pride, and "harmony" for love, serenity. Hemodynamic responses to these three positive emotion clusters showed distinct patterns, and HbO-based individual-level binary classifications between them achieved an averaged accuracy of 73.79 ± 11.49% (77.56 ± 7.39% for encouragement vs. harmony, 73.29 ± 11.87% for playfulness vs. harmony, 70.51 ± 13.96% for encouragement vs. harmony). Benefited from fNIRS's high portability, low running cost and the relative robustness against motion and electrical artifacts, our findings provided support for implementing a more fine-grained emotion recognition system with subdivided positive emotion categories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Hu
- Department of Psychology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chu Zhuang
- Department of Psychology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Psychology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yong-Jin Liu
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chang-Hwan Im
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Dan Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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32
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Chang YT, Ku LC, Wu CL, Chen HC. Event-related potential (ERP) evidence for the differential cognitive processing of semantic jokes and pun jokes. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2019.1583241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Tzu Chang
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Chuan Ku
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
| | - Ching-Lin Wu
- Programme of Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsueh-Chih Chen
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Chinese Language and Technology Centre, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
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33
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Guan F, Xiang Y, Chen O, Wang W, Chen J. Neural Basis of Dispositional Awe. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:209. [PMID: 30258356 PMCID: PMC6143802 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Awe differs from common positive emotions, triggered by vast stimuli, and characterized by a need for accommodation (NFA). Although studies have revealed the downstream effects of awe experience, little is known about the neural basis of dispositional awe. In the current study, we determined the neural correlation of dispositional awe by using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in 42 young healthy adults, as measured by the Dispositional Positive Emotion Scale (DPES). Results revealed that the dispositional awe score was negatively associated with the regional gray matter volume (rGMV) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), middle/posterior cingulate cortex (MCC/PCC) and middle temporal gyrus (MTG). These results suggest that individual differences in dispositional awe involve multiple brain regions related to attention, conscious self-regulation, cognitive control and social emotion. This study is the first to provide evidence for the structural neural basis of individual differences in dispositional awe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Guan
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China University, Guangzhou, 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
| | - Outong Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weixin Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China University, Guangzhou, China
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Friedlander KJ, Fine PA. "The Penny Drops": Investigating Insight Through the Medium of Cryptic Crosswords. Front Psychol 2018; 9:904. [PMID: 30018576 PMCID: PMC6037892 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A new protocol for eliciting insight (“Aha!”/Eureka) moments is proposed, involving the solving of British-style cryptic crosswords. The mechanics of cryptic crossword clues are briefly explained, and the process is set into the insight literature, with parallels being drawn between several different types of cryptic crossword clues and other insight-triggering problems such as magic, jokes, anagrams, rebus, and remote association puzzles (RAT), as well as “classic” thematic or spatial challenges. We have evidence from a previous survey of cryptic crossword solvers that the “Aha!” moment is the most important driver of continued participation in this hobby, suggesting that the positive emotional “payback” has an energizing effect on a participant's motivation to continue solving. Given the success with which a good quality cryptic crossword elicits “Aha!” moments, cryptics should prove highly valuable in exploring insight under lab conditions. We argue that the crossword paradigm overcomes many of the issues which beset other insight problems: for example, solution rates of cryptic crossword clues are high; new material can easily be commissioned, leading to a limitless pool of test items; and each puzzle contains clues resembling a wide variety of insight problem types, permitting a comparison of heterogeneous solving mechanisms within the same medium. Uniquely among insight problems, considerations of expertise also come into play, allowing us to explore how crossword solving experts handle the deliberate misdirection of the cryptic clue more effectively than non-expert, but equally experienced, peers. Many have debated whether there is such a thing as an “insight problem” per se: typically, problems can be solved with or without insight, depending on the context. We argue that the same is true for cryptic crosswords, and that the key to the successful triggering of insight may lie in both the difficulty of the challenge and the degree to which misdirection has been used. Future research is outlined which explores the specific mechanisms of clue difficulty. This opens the way to an exploration of potential links between solving constraints and the experiencing of the “Aha!” moment, which may shed light on the cognitive processes involved in insight solution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philip A Fine
- Department of Psychology, University of Buckingham, Buckingham, United Kingdom
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35
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Iidaka T. Humor Appreciation Involves Parametric and Synchronized Activity in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:5579-5591. [PMID: 27756763 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Humor perception is a ubiquitous phenomenon in human societies. In theories of humor perception, three factors, non-seriousness, social context, and incongruity, have been implicated in humor. In another theory, however, elaboration and reinterpretation of contexts are considered to play a role in eliciting humor. Although the neural correlates of humor appreciation have been investigated using neuroimaging methods, only a few studies have conducted such experiments under natural conditions. In the present study, two functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments, using a comedy movie as a stimulus, were conducted to investigate the neural correlates of humor under natural conditions. The subjects' brain activity was measured while watching and enjoying a movie. In experiment 1, a parametric analysis showed that the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and hippocampus/amygdala had a positive relationship with the subjective rating of funniness. In experiment 2, intersubject correlation was analyzed to investigate synchronized activity across all participants. Signal synchronization that paralleled increased funniness ratings was observed in the MPFC and hippocampus. Thus, it appears that both parametric and synchronized activity in the MPFC and hippocampus are important during humor appreciation. The present study has revealed the brain regions that are predominantly involved in humor sensation under natural condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Iidaka
- Nagoya University, Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Brain & Mind Research Center, Nagoya, Japan
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36
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De Felice S, Romani C, Geberhiwot T, MacDonald A, Palermo L. Language processing and executive functions in early treated adults with phenylketonuria (PKU). Cogn Neuropsychol 2018; 35:148-170. [DOI: 10.1080/02643294.2017.1422709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sara De Felice
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- IMD Department, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK
| | - Cristina Romani
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Anita MacDonald
- Dietetic Department, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Birmingham, UK
| | - Liana Palermo
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- IMD Department, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
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37
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Pawełczyk A, Kotlicka-Antczak M, Łojek E, Ruszpel A, Pawełczyk T. Schizophrenia patients have higher-order language and extralinguistic impairments. Schizophr Res 2018; 192:274-280. [PMID: 28438437 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2017.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The extralinguistic and paralinguistic aspects of the language refer to higher-order language functions such as lexical-semantic processes, prosody, indirect speech acts or discourse comprehension and production. Studies suggest that these processes are mediated by the Right Hemisphere (RH) and there is also some evidence of RH dysfunctions in schizophrenia. The aim of the paper is to investigate the extralinguistic and paralinguistic processing mediated by Right Hemisphere in schizophrenia patients using a validated and standardized battery of tests. METHODS Two groups of participants were examined: a schizophrenia sample (40 participants) and a control group (39 participants). Extralinguistic and paralinguistic processing was assessed in all subjects by the Polish version of the Right Hemisphere Language Battery (RHLB-PL), which measures comprehension of implicit information, naming, understanding humor, inappropriate remarks and comments, explanation and understanding of metaphors, understanding emotional and language prosody and discourse understanding. RESULTS Schizophrenia patients scored significantly lower than controls in subtests measuring comprehension of implicit information, interpretation of humor, explanation of metaphors, inappropriate remarks and comments, discernment of emotional and language prosody and comprehension of discourse. No differences were observed in naming, understanding metaphors or in processing visuo-spatial information. CONCLUSIONS Extralinguistic and paralinguistic dysfunctions appear to be present in schizophrenia patients and they suggest that RH processing may be disturbed in that group of patients. As the disturbances of higher-order language processes mediated by the RH may cause serious impairments in the social communication of patients, it is worth evaluating them during clinical examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Pawełczyk
- Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
| | | | - Emila Łojek
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, University of Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Ruszpel
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, University of Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Pawełczyk
- Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Poland
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38
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Huang F, Tang S, Sun P, Luo J. Neural correlates of novelty and appropriateness processing in externally induced constraint relaxation. Neuroimage 2018; 172:381-389. [PMID: 29408576 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.01.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Novelty and appropriateness are considered the two fundamental features of creative thinking, including insight problem solving, which can be performed through chunk decomposition and constraint relaxation. Based on a previous study that separated the neural bases of novelty and appropriateness in chunk decomposition, in this study, we used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to further dissociate these mechanisms in constraint relaxation. Participants were guided to mentally represent the method of problem solving according to the externally provided solutions that were elaborately prepared in advance and systematically varied in their novelty and appropriateness for the given problem situation. The results showed that novelty processing was completed by the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and regions in the executive system (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [DLPFC]), whereas appropriateness processing was completed by the TPJ and regions in the episodic memory (hippocampus), emotion (amygdala), and reward systems (orbitofrontal cortex [OFC]). These results likely indicate that appropriateness processing can result in a more memorable and richer experience than novelty processing in constraint relaxation. The shared and distinct neural mechanisms of the features of novelty and appropriateness in constraint relaxation are discussed, enriching the representation of the change theory of insight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Furong Huang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
| | - Shuang Tang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
| | - Pei Sun
- Department of Psychology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jing Luo
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
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39
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Berger P, Bitsch F, Nagels A, Straube B, Falkenberg I. Personality modulates amygdala and insula connectivity during humor appreciation: An event-related fMRI study. Soc Neurosci 2017; 13:756-768. [DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2017.1403375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Berger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Florian Bitsch
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Arne Nagels
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Straube
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Irina Falkenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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40
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Tian F, Hou Y, Zhu W, Dietrich A, Zhang Q, Yang W, Chen Q, Sun J, Jiang Q, Cao G. Getting the Joke: Insight during Humor Comprehension - Evidence from an fMRI Study. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1835. [PMID: 29093693 PMCID: PMC5651280 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As a high-level cognitive activity, humor comprehension requires incongruity detection and incongruity resolution, which then elicits an insight moment. The purpose of the study was to explore the neural basis of humor comprehension, particularly the moment of insight, by using both characters and language-free cartoons in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. The results showed that insight involving jokes elicited greater activation in language and semantic-related brain regions as well as a variety of additional regions, such as the superior frontal gyrus (SFG), the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), the middle temporal gyrus (MTG), the superior temporal gyrus (STG), the temporoparietal junctions (TPJ), the hippocampus and visual areas. These findings indicate that the MTG might play a role in incongruity detection, while the SFG, IFG and the TPJ might be involved in incongruity detection. The passive insight event elicited by jokes appears to be mediated by a limited number of brain areas. Our study showed that the brain regions associated with humor comprehension were not affected by the type of stimuli and that humor and insight shared common brain areas. These results indicate that one experiences a feeling of insight during humor comprehension, which contributes to the understanding of humor comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Tian
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuling Hou
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenfeng Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Arne Dietrich
- Department of Psychology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Qinglin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenjing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qunlin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiangzhou Sun
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiu Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guikang Cao
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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41
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Adamczyk P, Wyczesany M, Domagalik A, Daren A, Cepuch K, Błądziński P, Cechnicki A, Marek T. Neural circuit of verbal humor comprehension in schizophrenia - an fMRI study. Neuroimage Clin 2017; 15:525-540. [PMID: 28652967 PMCID: PMC5473647 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with schizophrenia exhibit problems with understanding the figurative meaning of language. This study evaluates neural correlates of diminished humor comprehension observed in schizophrenia. The study included chronic schizophrenia (SCH) outpatients (n = 20), and sex, age and education level matched healthy controls (n = 20). The fMRI punchline based humor comprehension task consisted of 60 stories of which 20 had funny, 20 nonsensical and 20 neutral (not funny) punchlines. After the punchlines were presented, the participants were asked to indicate whether the story was comprehensible and how funny it was. Three contrasts were analyzed in both groups reflecting stages of humor processing: abstract vs neutral stories - incongruity detection; funny vs abstract - incongruity resolution and elaboration; and funny vs neutral - complete humor processing. Additionally, parametric modulation analysis was performed using both subjective ratings separately. Between-group comparisons revealed that the SCH subjects had attenuated activation in the right posterior superior temporal gyrus (BA 41) in case of irresolvable incongruity processing of nonsensical puns; in the left dorsomedial middle and superior frontal gyri (BA 8/9) in case of incongruity resolution and elaboration processing of funny puns; and in the interhemispheric dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (BA 24) in case of complete processing of funny puns. Additionally, during comprehensibility ratings the SCH group showed a suppressed activity in the left dorsomedial middle and superior frontal gyri (BA 8/9) and revealed weaker activation during funniness ratings in the left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (BA 24). Interestingly, these differences in the SCH group were accompanied behaviorally by a protraction of time in both types of rating responses and by indicating funny punchlines less comprehensible. Summarizing, our results indicate neural substrates of humor comprehension processing impairments in schizophrenia, which is accompanied by fronto-temporal hypoactivation.
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Key Words
- ABS, absurd/nonsensical punchline
- ACC, anterior cingulate cortex
- BA, Brodmann's area
- CON, healthy controls/control group
- Communication skills
- EEG, electroencephalography
- ERPs, EEG event-related potentials
- FDR, False Discovery Rate
- FUN, funny punchline
- FWHM, full-width-at-half-maximum
- Figurative meaning
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging
- GLM, general linear model
- Humor
- IFG, inferior frontal gyrus
- IPL, Inferior Parietal Lobule
- ISI, interstimulus-interval
- L, left hemisphere
- MFG, medial frontal gyrus
- MNI, Montreal Neurological Institute coordinates
- MOG, middle occipital gyrus
- MRI, magnetic resonance imaging
- MTG, middle temporal gyrus
- MoCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment
- NEU, neutral/unfunny punchline
- PANSS, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale
- PFC, prefrontal cortex
- R, right hemisphere
- RHLB, Right Hemisphere Language Battery
- RT, reaction time
- SCH, schizophrenia outpatients/clinical group
- SD, standard deviations
- SEM, standard error of the mean
- SFG, Superior Frontal Gyrus
- SOA, stimulus onset asynchrony
- STG, superior temporal gyrus
- Schizophrenia
- TP, temporal pole
- TPJ, temporoparietal junction
- ToM, theory of mind.
- dACC, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex
- dlPFC, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
- dmMFG, dorsomedial Middle Frontal Gyrus
- fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging
- fNIRS, functional near-infrared spectroscopy
- k, number of voxels in analyzed cluster size
- ns, non-significant group difference
- pSTG, posterior Superior Temporal Gyrus
- sLORETA, standardized low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography analysis
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemysław Adamczyk
- Department of Community Psychiatry, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland; Psychosis Research and Psychotherapy Unit, Association for the Development of Psychiatry and Community Care, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Miroslaw Wyczesany
- Psychophysiology Laboratory, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Domagalik
- Neurobiology Department, The Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Artur Daren
- Department of Community Psychiatry, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland; Psychosis Research and Psychotherapy Unit, Association for the Development of Psychiatry and Community Care, Krakow, Poland
| | - Kamil Cepuch
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroergonomics, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Piotr Błądziński
- Department of Community Psychiatry, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Andrzej Cechnicki
- Department of Community Psychiatry, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland; Psychosis Research and Psychotherapy Unit, Association for the Development of Psychiatry and Community Care, Krakow, Poland
| | - Tadeusz Marek
- Neurobiology Department, The Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroergonomics, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
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42
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Dai RH, Chen HC, Chan YC, Wu CL, Li P, Cho SL, Hu JF. To Resolve or Not To Resolve, that Is the Question: The Dual-Path Model of Incongruity Resolution and Absurd Verbal Humor by fMRI. Front Psychol 2017; 8:498. [PMID: 28484402 PMCID: PMC5402715 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well accepted that the humor comprehension processing involves incongruity detection and resolution and then induces a feeling of amusement. However, this three-stage model of humor processing does not apply to absurd humor (so-called nonsense humor). Absurd humor contains an unresolvable incongruity but can still induce a feeling of mirth. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to identify the neural mechanisms of absurd humor. Specifically, we aimed to investigate the neural substrates associated with the complete resolution of incongruity resolution humor and partial resolution of absurd humor. Based on the fMRI data, we propose a dual-path model of incongruity resolution and absurd verbal humor. According to this model, the detection and resolution for the incongruity of incongruity resolution humor activate brain regions involved in the temporo-parietal lobe (TPJ) implicated in the integration of multiple information and precuneus, likely to be involved in the ability of perspective taking. The appreciation of incongruity resolution humor activates regions the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), implicated in autobiographic or event memory retrieval, and parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), implying the funny feeling. By contrast, the partial resolution of absurd humor elicits greater activation in the fusiform gyrus which have been implicated in word processing, inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) for the process of incongruity resolution and superior temporal gyrus (STG) for the pragmatic awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru H Dai
- National Taiwan Normal UniversityTaipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Yu C Chan
- National Tsing Hua UniversityHsin Chu, Taiwan
| | | | - Ping Li
- Department of Psychology, Penn State University, PennsylvaniaPA, USA
| | - Shu L Cho
- Fu Jen Catholic UniversityTaipei, Taiwan
| | - Jon-Fan Hu
- Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung UniversityTainan, Taiwan
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43
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Manfredi M, Proverbio AM, Gonçalves Donate AP, Macarini Gonçalves Vieira S, Comfort WE, De Araújo Andreoli M, Boggio PS. tDCS application over the STG improves the ability to recognize and appreciate elements involved in humor processing. Exp Brain Res 2017; 235:1843-1852. [PMID: 28299412 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-017-4932-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The superior temporal gyrus (STG) has been found to play a crucial role in the recognition of actions and facial expressions and may, therefore, be critical for the processing of humorous information. Here we investigated whether tDCS application to the STG would modulate the ability to recognize and appreciate the comic element in serious and comedic situations of misfortune. To this aim, the effects of different types of tDCS stimulation on the STG were analyzed during a task in which the participants were instructed to categorize various misfortunate situations as "comic" or "not comic". Participants underwent three different tDCS conditions: Anodal-right/Cathodal-left; Cathodal-right/Anodal-left; Sham. Images depicting people involved in accidents were grouped into three categories based on the facial expression of the victim: angry or painful (Affective); bewildered and funny (Comic); and images that did not contain the victim's face (No Face). An improvement in mean reaction times in response to both the Comic and No Face stimuli was observed following Anodal-left/Cathodal-right stimulation when compared to sham stimulation. This suggests that this stimulation type reduced the reaction times to socio-emotional complex scenes, regardless of facial expression. The Anodal-right/Cathodal-left stimulation reduced the mean reaction times for Comic stimuli only, suggesting that specifically the right STG may be involved in facial expression recognition and in the appreciation of the comic element in misfortunate situations. These results suggest a functional hemispheric asymmetry in STG response to social stimuli: the left STG might have a role in a general comprehension of social complex situations, while the right STG may be involved in the ability to recognize and integrate specific emotional aspects in a complex scene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirella Manfredi
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua Piaui, 181, São Paulo, 01241-001, Brazil.
| | | | - Ana Paula Gonçalves Donate
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua Piaui, 181, São Paulo, 01241-001, Brazil
| | - Sofia Macarini Gonçalves Vieira
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua Piaui, 181, São Paulo, 01241-001, Brazil
| | - William Edgar Comfort
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua Piaui, 181, São Paulo, 01241-001, Brazil
| | - Mariana De Araújo Andreoli
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua Piaui, 181, São Paulo, 01241-001, Brazil
| | - Paulo Sérgio Boggio
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua Piaui, 181, São Paulo, 01241-001, Brazil
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44
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Obert A, Gierski F, Calmus A, Flucher A, Portefaix C, Pierot L, Kaladjian A, Caillies S. Neural Correlates of Contrast and Humor: Processing Common Features of Verbal Irony. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0166704. [PMID: 27851821 PMCID: PMC5113059 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Irony is a kind of figurative language used by a speaker to say something that contrasts with the context and, to some extent, lends humor to a situation. However, little is known about the brain regions that specifically support the processing of these two common features of irony. The present study had two main aims: (i) investigate the neural basis of irony processing, by delivering short ironic spoken sentences (and their literal counterparts) to participants undergoing fMRI; and (ii) assess the neural effect of two irony parameters, obtained from normative studies: degree of contrast and humor appreciation. Results revealed activation of the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), posterior part of the left superior temporal gyrus, medial frontal cortex, and left caudate during irony processing, suggesting the involvement of both semantic and theory-of-mind networks. Parametric models showed that contrast was specifically associated with the activation of bilateral frontal and subcortical areas, and that these regions were also sensitive to humor, as shown by a conjunction analysis. Activation of the bilateral IFG is consistent with the literature on humor processing, and reflects incongruity detection/resolution processes. Moreover, the activation of subcortical structures can be related to the reward processing of social events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Obert
- C2S Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Fabien Gierski
- C2S Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Debré Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
| | - Arnaud Calmus
- C2S Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sébastopol Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
| | - Aurélie Flucher
- C2S Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Christophe Portefaix
- Department of Medical Imaging, Maison Blanche Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
- CReSTIC Laboratory (EA 3804), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Laurent Pierot
- Department of Medical Imaging, Maison Blanche Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
| | - Arthur Kaladjian
- C2S Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Debré Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
| | - Stéphanie Caillies
- C2S Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
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45
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Chan YC. Neural Correlates of Deficits in Humor Appreciation in Gelotophobics. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34580. [PMID: 27694969 PMCID: PMC5046107 DOI: 10.1038/srep34580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Gelotophobics have social deficits in the form of relative humorlessness and heightened sensitivity to aggressive humor; however, little is known about the neural reward mechanisms for this group. The present study attempted to identify the neural substrates of responses to hostile and non-hostile jokes in gelotophobics and non-gelotophobics. Gelotophobics showed greater activation than did non-gelotophobics in the dorsal corticostriatal system, which comprises the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal striatum, suggesting a higher degree of voluntary top-down cognitive control of emotion. As expected, gelotophobics showed less activation in the ventral mesocorticolimbic system (MCL) in response to both hostile and non-hostile jokes, suggesting a relative deficit in the reward system. Conversely, non-gelotophobics displayed greater activation than gelotophobics did in the MCL system, particularly for non-hostile jokes, which suggests a more robust bottom-up emotional response. In response to non-hostile jokes, non-gelotophobics showed greater activation in the ventral MCL reward system, which comprises the midbrain, amygdalae, nucleus accumbens, ventral anterior cingulate cortex, and insula. Psychophysiological interaction analyses further showed that gelotophobics exhibited diminished MCL activation in response to hostile jokes. These group differences may have important implications for our understanding of the neural correlates of social motivation and humor appreciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chen Chan
- Institute of Learning Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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46
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Gkorezis P, Bellou V. The relationship between leader self-deprecating humor and perceived effectiveness. LEADERSHIP & ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL 2016. [DOI: 10.1108/lodj-11-2014-0231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
Recent years have seen an increasing interest in leader’s use of humor among organizational scholars. In this regard, leader positive humor has been shown to be related to leader effectiveness. However, to date there is limited theoretical and empirical attention regarding the relationship between self-deprecating humor in particular and leadership effectiveness. As such, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of leader’s self-deprecating humor on follower’s perceptions of leader effectiveness. In doing so, the authors also encompassed trust in leader as a mediator.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from three different samples. The authors examined the hypotheses using hierarchical regression, bootstrapping analysis and Sobel test.
Findings
Results produced consistent evidence that the use of self-deprecating humor by the leader positively affects his/her perceived effectiveness and that this relationship is partially mediated by trust in leader.
Research limitations/implications
A main limitation of the present research relates to its cross-sectional design that cannot infer causality. In addition, data were gathered from a single source. As such, this may raise the possibility of common method bias.
Originality/value
The present paper contributes to the limited theoretical and empirical organizational research regarding the role of leader self-deprecating humor. More specifically, this is the first study, to the best of authors’ knowledge that links this type of humor to his/her effectiveness.
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47
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Jääskeläinen IP, Pajula J, Tohka J, Lee HJ, Kuo WJ, Lin FH. Brain hemodynamic activity during viewing and re-viewing of comedy movies explained by experienced humor. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27741. [PMID: 27323928 PMCID: PMC4914983 DOI: 10.1038/srep27741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Humor is crucial in human social interactions. To study the underlying neural processes, three comedy clips were shown twice to 20 volunteers during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Inter-subject similarities in humor ratings, obtained immediately after fMRI, explained inter-subject correlation of hemodynamic activity in right frontal pole and in a number of other brain regions. General linear model analysis also indicated activity in right frontal pole, as well as in additional cortical areas and subcortically in striatum, explained by humorousness. The association of the right frontal pole with experienced humorousness is a novel finding, which might be related to humor unfolding over longer time scales in the movie clips. Specifically, frontal pole has been shown to exhibit longer temporal receptive windows than, e.g., sensory areas, which might have enabled processing of humor in the clips based on holding information and reinterpreting that in light of new information several (even tens of) seconds later. As another novel finding, medial and lateral prefrontal areas, frontal pole, posterior-inferior temporal areas, posterior parietal areas, posterior cingulate, striatal structures and amygdala showed reduced activity upon re-viewing of the clips, suggesting involvement in processing of humor related to novelty of the comedic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iiro P Jääskeläinen
- Brain and Mind Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland
| | - Juha Pajula
- Department of Signal Processing, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland
| | - Jussi Tohka
- Department of Bioengineering and Aerospace Engineering, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganes, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain
| | - Hsin-Ju Lee
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Jui Kuo
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Fa-Hsuan Lin
- Brain and Mind Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland.,Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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48
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Lomas T. Positive Art: Artistic Expression and Appreciation as an Exemplary Vehicle for Flourishing. REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1037/gpr0000073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tim Lomas
- School of Psychology, University of East London
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49
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Chan YC. Neural Correlates of Sex/Gender Differences in Humor Processing for Different Joke Types. Front Psychol 2016; 7:536. [PMID: 27199791 PMCID: PMC4844976 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Humor operates through a variety of techniques, which first generate surprise and then amusement and laughter once the unexpected incongruity is resolved. As different types of jokes use different techniques, the corresponding humor processes also differ. The present study builds on the framework of the 'tri-component theory of humor,' which details the mechanisms involved in cognition (comprehension), affect (appreciation), and laughter (expression). This study seeks to identify differences among joke types and between sexes/genders in the neural mechanisms underlying humor processing. Three types of verbal jokes, bridging-inference jokes (BJs), exaggeration jokes (EJs), and ambiguity jokes (AJs), were used as stimuli. The findings revealed differences in brain activity for an interaction between sex/gender and joke type. For BJs, women displayed greater activation in the temporoparietal-mesocortical-motor network than men, demonstrating the importance of the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) presumably for 'theory of mind' processing, the orbitofrontal cortex for motivational functions and reward coding, and the supplementary motor area for laughter. Women also showed greater activation than men in the frontal-mesolimbic network associated with EJs, including the anterior (frontopolar) prefrontal cortex (aPFC, BA 10) for executive control processes, and the amygdala and midbrain for reward anticipation and salience processes. Conversely, AJs elicited greater activation in men than women in the frontal-paralimbic network, including the dorsal prefrontal cortex (dPFC) and parahippocampal gyrus. All joke types elicited greater activation in the aPFC of women than of men, whereas men showed greater activation than women in the dPFC. To confirm the findings related to sex/gender differences, random group analysis and within group variance analysis were also performed. These findings help further establish the mechanisms underlying the processing of different joke types for the sexes/genders and provide a neural foundation for a theory of sex/gender differences in humor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chen Chan
- Institute of Learning Sciences, National Tsing Hua UniversityHsinchu, Taiwan
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50
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Abstract
UNLABELLED The brain suprapontine mechanisms associated with human cataplexy have not been clarified. Animal data suggest that the amygdala and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex are key regions in promoting emotion-induced cataplectic attacks. Twenty-one drug-naive children/adolescent (13 males, mean age 11 years) with recent onset of narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) were studied with fMRI while viewing funny videos using a "naturalistic" paradigm. fMRI data were acquired synchronously with EEG, mylohyoid muscle activity, and the video of the patient's face. Whole-brain hemodynamic correlates of (1) a sign of fun and amusement (laughter) and of (2) cataplexy were analyzed and compared. Correlations analyses between these contrasts and disease-related variables and behavioral findings were performed. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In this study we reported for the first time in humans the brain structures whose neural activity is specifically and consistently associated with emotion-induced cataplexy. To reach this goal drug-naive children and adolescents with recent onset narcolepsy type 1 were investigated. In narcolepsy caused by hypocretin/orexin deficiency, cataplexy is associated with a marked increase in neural activity in the amygdala, the nucleus accumbens, and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which represent suprapontine centers that physiologically process emotions and reward. These findings confirm recent data obtained in the hypocretin knock-out mice and suggest that the absence of hypothalamic hypocretin control on mesolimbic reward centers is crucial in determining cataplexy induced by emotions. Emotion-induced laughter occurred in 16 patients, and of these 10 showed cataplexy for a total of 77 events (mean duration = 4.4 s). Cataplexy was marked by brief losses of mylohyoid muscle tone and by the observation of episodes of facial hypotonia, jaw drop, and ptosis. During laughter (without cataplexy) an increased hemodynamic response occurred in a bilateral network involving the motor/premotor cortex and anterior cingulate gyrus. During cataplexy, suprapontine BOLD signal increase was present in the amygdala, frontal operculum-anterior insular cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and the nucleus accumbens; BOLD signal increases were also observed at locus ceruleus and in anteromedial pons. The comparison of cataplexy versus laugh episodes revealed the involvement of a corticolimbic network that processes reward and emotion encompassing the anterior insular cortex, the nucleus accumbens, and the amygdala.
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