1
|
Schiller B, Sperl MFJ, Kleinert T, Nash K, Gianotti LRR. EEG Microstates in Social and Affective Neuroscience. Brain Topogr 2024; 37:479-495. [PMID: 37523005 PMCID: PMC11199304 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-023-00987-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Social interactions require both the rapid processing of multifaceted socio-affective signals (e.g., eye gaze, facial expressions, gestures) and their integration with evaluations, social knowledge, and expectations. Researchers interested in understanding complex social cognition and behavior face a "black box" problem: What are the underlying mental processes rapidly occurring between perception and action and why are there such vast individual differences? In this review, we promote electroencephalography (EEG) microstates as a powerful tool for both examining socio-affective states (e.g., processing whether someone is in need in a given situation) and identifying the sources of heterogeneity in socio-affective traits (e.g., general willingness to help others). EEG microstates are identified by analyzing scalp field maps (i.e., the distribution of the electrical field on the scalp) over time. This data-driven, reference-independent approach allows for identifying, timing, sequencing, and quantifying the activation of large-scale brain networks relevant to our socio-affective mind. In light of these benefits, EEG microstates should become an indispensable part of the methodological toolkit of laboratories working in the field of social and affective neuroscience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Schiller
- Laboratory for Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
- Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University Medical Center, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Matthias F J Sperl
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Universities of Marburg and Giessen (Research Campus Central Hessen), Marburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Kleinert
- Laboratory for Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Ergonomics, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany
| | - Kyle Nash
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
| | - Lorena R R Gianotti
- Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Guizar Rosales E, Baumgartner T, Knoch D. Interindividual differences in intergenerational sustainable behavior are associated with cortical thickness of the dorsomedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Neuroimage 2022; 264:119664. [PMID: 36202158 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Intergenerational sustainability requires people of the present generation to make sacrifices today to benefit others of future generations (e.g. mitigating climate change, reducing public debt). Individuals vary greatly in their intergenerational sustainability, and the cognitive and neural sources of these interindividual differences are not yet well understood. We here combined neuroscientific and behavioral methods by assessing interindividual differences in cortical thickness and by using a common-pool resource paradigm with intergenerational contingencies. This enabled us to look for objective, stable, and trait-like neural markers of interindividual differences in consequential intergenerational behavior. We found that individuals behaving sustainably (vs. unsustainably) were marked by greater cortical thickness of the dorsomedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Given that these brain areas are involved in perspective-taking and self-control and supported by mediation analyses, we speculate that greater cortical thickness of these brain areas better enable individuals to take the perspective of future generations and to resist temptations to maximize personal benefits that incur costs for future generations. By meeting recent calls for the contribution of neuroscience to sustainability research, it is our hope that the present study advances the transdisciplinary understanding of interindividual differences in intergenerational sustainability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Guizar Rosales
- Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Switzerland; Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Baumgartner
- Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Switzerland; Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Daria Knoch
- Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Switzerland; Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li T, Pei Z, Zhu Z, Wu X, Feng C. Intrinsic brain activity patterns across large-scale networks predict reciprocity propensity. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:5616-5629. [PMID: 36054523 PMCID: PMC9704792 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26038] [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: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Reciprocity is prevalent across human societies, but individuals are heterogeneous regarding their reciprocity propensity. Although a large body of task-based brain imaging measures has shed light on the neural underpinnings of reciprocity at group level, the neural basis underlying the individual differences in reciprocity propensity remains largely unclear. Here, we combined brain imaging and machine learning techniques to individually predict reciprocity propensity from resting-state brain activity measured by fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation. The brain regions contributing to the prediction were then analyzed for functional connectivity and decoding analyses, allowing for a data-driven quantitative inference on psychophysiological functions. Our results indicated that patterns of resting-state brain activity across multiple brain systems were capable of predicting individual reciprocity propensity, with the contributing regions distributed across the salience (e.g., ventrolateral prefrontal cortex), fronto-parietal (e.g., dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), default mode (e.g., ventromedial prefrontal cortex), and sensorimotor (e.g., supplementary motor area) networks. Those contributing brain networks are implicated in emotion and cognitive control, mentalizing, and motor-based processes, respectively. Collectively, these findings provide novel evidence on the neural signatures underlying the individual differences in reciprocity, and lend support the assertion that reciprocity emerges from interactions among regions embodied in multiple large-scale brain networks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University)Ministry of EducationGuangzhouChina,School of Psychology, Institute of Brain Research and Rehabilitation (IBRR), Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive ScienceSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhouChina,Institute of Brain and Psychological SciencesSichuan Normal UniversityChengduChina
| | - Zhaodi Pei
- School of Artificial IntelligenceBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina,Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Technology and Educational Application of Ministry of EducationBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Zhiyuan Zhu
- School of Artificial IntelligenceBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina,Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Technology and Educational Application of Ministry of EducationBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xia Wu
- School of Artificial IntelligenceBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina,Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Technology and Educational Application of Ministry of EducationBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Chunliang Feng
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University)Ministry of EducationGuangzhouChina,School of Psychology, Institute of Brain Research and Rehabilitation (IBRR), Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive ScienceSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhouChina
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nash K, Kleinert T, Leota J, Scott A, Schimel J. Resting-state networks of believers and non-believers: An EEG microstate study. Biol Psychol 2022; 169:108283. [PMID: 35114302 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108283] [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: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Atheism and agnosticism are becoming increasingly popular, yet the neural processes underpinning individual differences in religious belief and non-belief remain poorly understood. In the current study, we examined differences between Believers and Non-Believers with regard to fundamental neural resting networks using EEG microstate analysis. Results demonstrated that Non-Believers show increased contribution from a resting-state network associated with deliberative or analytic processing (Microstate D), and Believers show increased contribution from a network associated with intuitive or automatic processing (Microstate C). Further, analysis of resting-state network communication suggested that Non-Believers may process visual information in a more deliberative or top-down manner, and Believers may process visual information in a more intuitive or bottom-up manner. These results support dual process explanations of individual differences in religious belief and add to the representation of non-belief as more than merely a lack of belief.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Nash
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2R3, Canada.
| | - Tobias Kleinert
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Josh Leota
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Andy Scott
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Jeff Schimel
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Baumgartner T, Hausfeld J, Dos Santos M, Knoch D. Who initiates punishment, who joins punishment? Disentangling types of third-party punishers by neural traits. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 42:5703-5717. [PMID: 34523772 PMCID: PMC8559474 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The act of punishing unfair behavior by unaffected observers (i.e., third‐party punishment) is a crucial factor in the functioning of human societies. In everyday life, we see different types of individuals who punish. While some individuals initiate costly punishment against an unfair person independently of what other observers do (independent punishers), others condition their punishment engagement on the presence of another person who punishes (conditional punishers). Still others do not want to partake in any sort of punishment (nonpunishers). Although these distinct behavioral types have a divergent impact on human society, the sources of heterogeneity are poorly understood. We present novel laboratory evidence on the existence of these three types. We use anatomical brain characteristics in combination with stated motives to characterize these types. Findings revealed that independent punishers have larger gray matter volume in the right temporo‐parietal junction compared to conditional punishers and nonpunishers, an area involved in social cognition. Conditional punishers are characterized by larger gray matter volume in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a brain area known to be involved in behavioral control and strategic reasoning, compared to independent punishers and nonpunishers. Finally, both independent punishers and nonpunishers are characterized by larger gray matter volume in an area involved in the processing of social and monetary rewards, that is, the bilateral caudate. By using a neural trait approach, we were able to differentiate these three types clearly based on their neural signatures, allowing us to shed light on the underlying psychological mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Baumgartner
- Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jan Hausfeld
- Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,CREED, Amsterdam School of Economics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Miguel Dos Santos
- Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daria Knoch
- Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Brustkern J, Heinrichs M, Walker M, Schiller B. Facial threat affects trust more strongly than facial attractiveness in women than it does in men. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22475. [PMID: 34795328 PMCID: PMC8602253 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01775-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Trust is essential in initiating social relationships. Due to the differential evolution of sex hormones as well as the fitness burdens of producing offspring, evaluations of a potential mating partner's trustworthiness likely differ across sexes. Here, we explore unknown sex-specific effects of facial attractiveness and threat on trusting other-sex individuals. Ninety-three participants (singles; 46 women) attracted by the other sex performed an incentivized trust game. They had to decide whether to trust individuals of the other sex represented by a priori-created face stimuli gradually varying in the intensities of both attractiveness and threat. Male and female participants trusted attractive and unthreatening-looking individuals more often. However, whereas male participants' trust behavior was affected equally by attractiveness and threat, female participants' trust behavior was more strongly affected by threat than by attractiveness. This indicates that a partner's high facial attractiveness might compensate for high facial threat in male but not female participants. Our findings suggest that men and women prioritize attractiveness and threat differentially, with women paying relatively more attention to threat cues inversely signaling parental investment than to attractiveness cues signaling reproductive fitness. This difference might be attributable to an evolutionary, biologically sex-specific decision regarding parental investment and reproduction behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Brustkern
- Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 8, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Markus Heinrichs
- Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 8, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mirella Walker
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, Missionsstrasse 60/62, 4055, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Bastian Schiller
- Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 8, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Multivariate morphological brain signatures enable individualized prediction of dispositional need for closure. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 16:1049-1064. [PMID: 34724163 PMCID: PMC8558548 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-021-00574-w] [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: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Need for closure (NFC) reflects stable individual differences in the desire for a quick, definite, and stable answer to a question. A large body of research has documented the association between NFC and various cognitive, emotional and social processes. Despite considerable interest in psychology, little effort has been made to uncover the neural substrates of individual variations in NFC. Herein, we took a data-driven approach to predict NFC trait combining machine learning framework and the whole-brain grey matter volume (GMV) features, which represent a reliable brain imaging measure and have been commonly employed to explore neural basis underlying individual differences of cognition and behaviors. Brain regions contributing to the prediction were then subjected to functional connectivity and decoding analyses for a quantitative inference on their psychophysiological functions. Our results indicated that multivariate patterns of GMV derived from multiple regions across distributed brain systems predicted NFC at individual level. The contributing regions are distributed across the emotional processing network (e.g., striatum), cognitive control network (e.g., lateral prefrontal cortex), social cognition network (e.g., temporoparietal junction) and perceptual processing network (e.g., occipital cortex). The current study provided the first evidence that dispositional NFC is embodied in multiple large-scale brain networks, helping to delineate a more complete picture about the neuropsychological processes that support individual differences in NFC. Beyond these findings, the current interdisciplinary approach to constructing and interpreting neuroimaging-based prediction model of personality traits would be informative to a wide range of future studies on personality.
Collapse
|
8
|
Wang W, Fu C, Kong X, Osinsky R, Hewig J, Wang Y. Neuro-Behavioral Dynamic Prediction of Interpersonal Cooperation and Aggression. Neurosci Bull 2021; 38:275-289. [PMID: 34628592 PMCID: PMC8975956 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00777-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
How to quickly predict an individual's behavioral choices is an important issue in the field of human behavior research. Using noninvasive electroencephalography, we aimed to identify neural markers in the prior outcome-evaluation stage and the current option-assessment stage of the chicken game that predict an individual's behavioral choices in the subsequent decision-output stage. Hierarchical linear modeling-based brain-behavior association analyses revealed that midfrontal theta oscillation in the prior outcome-evaluation stage positively predicted subsequent aggressive choices; also, beta oscillation in the current option-assessment stage positively predicted subsequent cooperative choices. These findings provide electrophysiological evidence for the three-stage theory of decision-making and strengthen the feasibility of predicting an individual's behavioral choices using neural oscillations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- School of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Department of Mathematics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, 61801, USA
| | - Chao Fu
- School of Economics and Management, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Xiangzeng Kong
- School of Economics and Management, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Roman Osinsky
- Department of Differential Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Osnabruck University, 49074, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Johannes Hewig
- Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg, 97070, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Yiwen Wang
- School of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- School of Economics and Management, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Leota J, Kleinert T, Tran A, Nash K. Neural signatures of heterogeneity in risk-taking and strategic consistency. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:7214-7230. [PMID: 34561929 PMCID: PMC9292925 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
People display a high degree of heterogeneity in risk-taking behaviour, but this heterogeneity remains poorly understood. Here, we use a neural trait approach to examine if task-independent, brain-based differences can help uncover the sources of heterogeneity in risky decision-making. We extend prior research in two key ways. First, we disentangled risk-taking and strategic consistency using novel measures afforded by the Balloon Analogue Risk Task. Second, we applied a personality neuroscience framework to explore why personality traits are typically only weakly related to risk-taking behaviour. We regressed participants' (N = 104) source localized resting-state electroencephalographic activity on risk-taking and strategic consistency. Results revealed that higher levels of resting-state delta-band current density (reflecting reduced cortical activation) in the left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were associated with increased risk-taking and decreased strategic consistency, respectively. These results suggest that heterogeneity in risk-taking behaviour is associated with neural dispositions related to sensitivity to the risk of loss, whereas heterogeneity in strategic consistency is associated with neural dispositions related to strategic decision-making. Finally, extraversion, neuroticism, openness, and self-control were broadly associated with both of the identified neural traits, which in turn mediated indirect associations between personality traits and behavioural measures. These results provide an explanation for the weak direct relationships between personality traits and risk-taking behaviour, supporting a personality neuroscience framework of traits and decision-making.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Josh Leota
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Tobias Kleinert
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Alex Tran
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kyle Nash
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Feng C, Yang Q, Azem L, Atanasova KM, Gu R, Luo W, Hoffman M, Lis S, Krueger F. An fMRI investigation of the intention-outcome interactions in second- and third-party punishment. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 16:715-727. [PMID: 34533770 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-021-00555-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Second-party punishment (SPP) and third-party punishment (TPP) are two basic forms of costly punishment that play an essential role in maintaining social orders. Despite scientific breakthroughs in understanding that costly punishment is driven by an integration of the wrongdoers' intention and the outcome of their actions, so far, few studies have compared the neurocognitive processes associated with the intention-outcome integration between SPP and TPP. Here, we combined economic exchange games measuring SPP and TPP with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare the neuropsychological architectures underlying the intention-outcome integration during one-shot interactions with anonymous partners across four types of norm violations (no norm, accidental, attempted, and intentional violations). Our behavioral findings showed that third-parties punished only attempted norm violations less frequently than second-parties. Our neuroimaging findings revealed higher activities in the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) for attempted norm violations during TPP relative to SPP; more activities in these regions with less punishment frequency; and enhancement of functional connectivity of the right TPJ with the right dlPFC and dorsomedial PFC. Our findings demonstrated specific psychological and neural mechanisms of intention-outcome interactions between SPP and TPP -helping to unravel the complex neurocognitive processes of costly punishment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunliang Feng
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China; School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Qun Yang
- Department of Psychology, Jing Hengyi School of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lydia Azem
- Center of Psychological Psychotherapy, ZPP, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Konstantina M Atanasova
- Institute of Psychiatric and Psychosomatic Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim; Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ruolei Gu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenbo Luo
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Morris Hoffman
- Second Judicial District, State of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Stefanie Lis
- Institute of Psychiatric and Psychosomatic Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim; Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frank Krueger
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA. .,Department of Psychology, University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wyss AM, Knoch D. Neuroscientific approaches to study prosociality. Curr Opin Psychol 2021; 44:38-43. [PMID: 34560373 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Prosociality is a core feature of human functioning and has been a topic of interest across disciplinary boundaries for decades. In this review, we highlight different neuroscientific approaches that have enriched traditional psychological methods for studying prosocial behavior among individuals and groups. First, we outline findings from task-based neuroimaging studies that provide correlational evidence for the involvement of different neural mechanisms in prosocial behavior. Next, we present different brain stimulation studies that show several brain areas to be causally related to prosocial behavior. Furthermore, we outline the task-independent neural trait approach that quantifies temporally stable brain-based characteristics in an effort to uncover sources of interindividual differences in prosocial preferences. We discuss how the findings from these approaches have contributed to our understanding of prosocial behavior and suggest directions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annika M Wyss
- Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, University of Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Daria Knoch
- Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, University of Bern, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Intrinsic functional connectivity of the frontoparietal network predicts inter-individual differences in the propensity for costly third-party punishment. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:1222-1232. [PMID: 34331267 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00927-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Humans are motivated to give norm violators their just deserts through costly punishment even as unaffected third parties (i.e., third-party punishment, TPP). A great deal of individual variability exists in costly punishment; however, how this variability particularly in TPP is represented by the brain's intrinsic network architecture remains elusive. Here, we examined whether inter-individual differences in the propensity for TPP can be predicted based on resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) combining an economic TPP game with task-free functional neuroimaging and a multivariate prediction framework. Our behavioral results revealed that TPP punishment increased with the severity of unfairness for offers. People with higher TPP propensity punished more harshly across norm-violating scenarios. Our neuroimaging findings showed RSFC within the frontoparietal network predicted individual differences in TPP propensity. Our findings contribute to understanding the neural fingerprint for an individual's propensity to costly punish strangers, and shed some light on how social norm enforcement behaviors are represented by the brain's intrinsic network architecture.
Collapse
|
13
|
Wired to Punish? Electroencephalographic Study of the Resting-state Neuronal Oscillations Underlying Third-party Punishment. Neuroscience 2021; 471:1-10. [PMID: 34302905 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
For over a decade, neuroimaging and brain stimulation studies have investigated neural mechanisms of third-party punishment, a key instrument for social norms enforcement. However, the neural dynamics underlying these mechanisms are still unclear. Previous electroencephalographic studies on third-party punishment have shown that inter-brain connectivity is linked to punishment behavior. However, no clear evidence was provided regarding whether the effect of inter-brain connectivity on third-party punishment is mediated by local neuronal states. In this study, we further investigate whether resting-state neuronal activity in the alpha frequency range can predict individual differences in third-party punishment. More specifically, we show that the global resting-state connectivity between the right dorsolateral prefrontal and right temporo-parietal regions is negatively correlated with the level of third-party punishment. Additionally, individuals with stronger local resting-state long-range temporal correlations in the right temporo-parietal cortices demonstrated a lower level of third-party punishment. Thus, our results further support the idea that global and local neuronal dynamics can contribute to individual differences in third-party punishment.
Collapse
|
14
|
Fariña A, Rojek-Giffin M, Gross J, De Dreu CKW. Social Preferences Correlate with Cortical Thickness of the Orbito-Frontal Cortex. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 16:1191-1203. [PMID: 34117486 PMCID: PMC8599202 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans differ in their preferences for personal rewards, fairness and others’ welfare. Such social preferences predict trust, public goods provision and mutual gains bargaining and have been linked to neural activity in regions involved in reward computation, cognitive control and perspective-taking. Although shaped by culture, social preferences are relatively stable across time, raising the question whether differences in brain anatomy predict social preferences and their key components—concern for personal outcomes and concern for others’ outcomes. Here, we examine this possibility by linking social preferences measured with incentivized economic games to 74 cortical parcels in 194 healthy humans. Neither concerns for personal outcomes nor concerns for the outcomes of others in isolation were related to anatomical differences. However, fitting earlier findings, social preferences positively scaled with cortical thickness in the left olfactory sulcus, a structure in the orbital frontal cortex previously shown to be involved in value-based decision-making. Consistent with work showing that heavier usage corresponds to larger brain volume, findings suggest that pro-social preferences relate to cortical thickness in the left olfactory sulcus because of heavier reliance on the orbital frontal cortex during social decision-making.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Fariña
- Institute for Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Rojek-Giffin
- Institute for Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jörg Gross
- Institute for Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Carsten K W De Dreu
- Institute for Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Center for Research in Experimental Economics and Political Decision Making, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Psychopathy is associated with an exaggerated attention bottleneck: EEG and behavioral evidence from a dual-task paradigm. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:881-893. [PMID: 33821459 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00891-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Psychopathy is a personality disorder associated with a chronic disregard for the welfare of others. The attention bottleneck model of psychopathy asserts that the behavior of individuals higher on psychopathy is due to an exaggerated attention bottleneck that constrains all information processing, regardless of the information's potential goal-relevance. To date, the majority of research on the attention bottleneck model of psychopathy conceptually applied the tenets of the model but did not implement methods that directly test an exaggeration of the bottleneck in psychopathy. Accordingly, the presence of an exaggerated bottleneck, the exact expression of that bottleneck, and its potential mechanistic relevance for behavior in individuals higher on psychopathy remains untested. To address these gaps, a sample of 78 male community members, evaluated for psychopathic traits using the Self-Report Psychopathy-III scale, completed an EEG-based dual-task paradigm examining short stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA; 300 ms), long SOA (1,100 ms), and single-task baseline conditions. Additionally, participants were asked about their frequency of real-world risky, impulsive, and antisocial behaviors. Psychopathy was associated with slower reaction times to second targets (T2s) presented during the dual-task conditions, relative to the baseline condition. Psychopathy also was associated with blunted P300 responses, a neural index of stimulus evaluation, across all types of T2 events. Finally, bottleneck-related interference during the short SOA events mediated the relationship between psychopathy and real-world behavior. These findings suggested that individuals higher on psychopathy exhibit an exaggerated bottleneck which produces intense and long-lasting interference, impacting all information processing and partially contributing to their maladaptive behavior.
Collapse
|
16
|
Liu P, Yang W, Zhuang K, Wei D, Yu R, Huang X, Qiu J. The functional connectome predicts feeling of stress on regular days and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 14:100285. [PMID: 33385021 PMCID: PMC7772572 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Although many studies have explored the neural mechanism of the feeling of stress, to date, no effort has been made to establish a model capable of predicting the feeling of stress at the individual level using the resting-state functional connectome. Although individuals may be confronted with multidimensional stressors during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, their appraisal of the impact and severity of these events might vary. In this study, connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM) with leave-one-out cross-validation was conducted to predict individual perceived stress (PS) from whole-brain functional connectivity data from 817 participants. The results showed that the feeling of stress could be predicted by the interaction between the default model network and salience network, which are involved in emotion regulation and salience attribution, respectively. Key nodes that contributed to the prediction model comprised regions mainly located in the limbic systems and temporal lobe. Critically, the CPM model of PS based on regular days can be generalized to predict individual PS levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is a multidimensional, uncontrollable stressful situation. The stability of the results was demonstrated by two independent datasets. The present work not only expands existing knowledge regarding the neural mechanism of PS but also may help identify high-risk individuals in healthy populations. Perceived stress (PS) can be predicated by resting-state functional connectome. PS can be predicated by interaction between default model and salience network. Key nodes of the prediction model located in limbic systems and temporal lobe. psCPM of regular days generalized to predict PS level in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peiduo Liu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing, 400715, China
- Research Center for Psychology and Social Development, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Wenjing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing, 400715, China
- Corresponding author. Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No.2 TianSheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China.
| | - Kaixiang Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Dongtao Wei
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Rongjun Yu
- Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xiting Huang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Jiang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing, 400715, China
- Corresponding author. Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No.2 TianSheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Schiller B, Kleinert T, Teige-Mocigemba S, Klauer KC, Heinrichs M. Temporal dynamics of resting EEG networks are associated with prosociality. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13066. [PMID: 32747655 PMCID: PMC7400630 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69999-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
As prosociality is key to facing many of our societies' global challenges (such as fighting a global pandemic), we need to better understand why some individuals are more prosocial than others. The present study takes a neural trait approach, examining whether the temporal dynamics of resting EEG networks are associated with inter-individual differences in prosociality. In two experimental sessions, we collected 55 healthy males' resting EEG, their self-reported prosocial concern and values, and their incentivized prosocial behavior across different reward domains (money, time) and social contexts (collective, individual). By means of EEG microstate analysis we identified the temporal coverage of four canonical resting networks (microstates A, B, C, and D) and their mutual communication in order to examine their association with an aggregated index of prosociality. Participants with a higher coverage of microstate A and more transitions from microstate C to A were more prosocial. Our study demonstrates that temporal dynamics of intrinsic brain networks can be linked to complex social behavior. On the basis of previous findings on links of microstate A with sensory processing, our findings suggest that participants with a tendency to engage in bottom-up processing during rest behave more prosocially than others.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Schiller
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Straße 8, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
- Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany.
| | - Tobias Kleinert
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Straße 8, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Teige-Mocigemba
- Department of Psychological Diagnostics, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, 35032, Germany
| | - Karl Christoph Klauer
- Department of Psychology, Social Psychology and Methodology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79085, Germany
| | - Markus Heinrichs
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Straße 8, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
- Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Schiller B, Gianotti LRR, Baumgartner T, Knoch D. Theta resting EEG in the right TPJ is associated with individual differences in implicit intergroup bias. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 14:281-289. [PMID: 30690590 PMCID: PMC6399604 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsz007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Why are some people more biased than others in their implicit evaluations during social interaction? The dispositional determinants of individual differences in implicit intergroup bias are poorly understood. Here, we explored whether such variability might be explained by stable neural traits. For that purpose, we used the source-localized resting electroencephalograms of 83 members of naturalistic social groups to explain their bias in an in-/outgroup implicit association test. Lower levels of resting theta current density in the right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) were associated with stronger implicit intergroup bias and explained unique variability in bias beyond relevant personality questionnaires. These findings demonstrate the added value of the neural trait approach in predicting inter-individual differences in implicit social cognition. Given that low levels of resting theta current density during wakefulness likely reflect increased cortical activation, our results suggest that individuals with an efficiently working right TPJ possess capacities to mediate specific cognitive processes that predispose them towards stronger implicit intergroup bias. As the human species has evolved living in distinct social groups, the capacity to quickly differentiate friend from foe became highly adaptive and might thus constitute an essential part of human nature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Schiller
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Social and Affective Neuroscience, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lorena R R Gianotti
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Psychology, Social and Affective Neuroscience, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Baumgartner
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Psychology, Social and Affective Neuroscience, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daria Knoch
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Psychology, Social and Affective Neuroscience, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Lu X, Li T, Xia Z, Zhu R, Wang L, Luo Y, Feng C, Krueger F. Connectome-based model predicts individual differences in propensity to trust. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:1942-1954. [PMID: 30633429 PMCID: PMC6865671 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Trust constitutes a fundamental basis of human society and plays a pivotal role in almost every aspect of human relationships. Although enormous interest exists in determining the neuropsychological underpinnings of a person's propensity to trust utilizing task-based fMRI; however, little progress has been made in predicting its variations by task-free fMRI based on whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC). Here, we combined a one-shot trust game with a connectome-based predictive modeling approach to predict propensity to trust from whole-brain RSFC. We demonstrated that individual variations in the propensity to trust were primarily predicted by RSFC rooted in the functional integration of distributed key nodes-caudate, amygdala, lateral prefrontal cortex, temporal-parietal junction, and the temporal pole-which are part of domain-general large-scale networks essential for the motivational, affective, and cognitive aspects of trust. We showed, further, that the identified brain-behavior associations were only evident for trust but not altruistic preferences and that propensity to trust (and its underlying neural underpinnings) were modulated according to the extent to which a person emphasizes general social preferences (i.e., horizontal collectivism) rather than general risk preferences (i.e., trait impulsiveness). In conclusion, the employed data-driven approach enables to predict propensity to trust from RSFC and highlights its potential use as an objective neuromarker of trust impairment in mental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaping Lu
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive SciencesShenzhen UniveristyShenzhenChina
- Brain, Mind & Markets Laboratory, Department of FinanceThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and LearningBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Ting Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education QualityBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Zhichao Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and LearningBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Ruida Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and LearningBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Li Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education QualityBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yue‐Jia Luo
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive SciencesShenzhen UniveristyShenzhenChina
- Center for Emotion and BrainShenzhen Institute of NeuroscienceShenzhenChina
- Medical SchoolKunming University of Science and TechnologyKunmingChina
| | - Chunliang Feng
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive SciencesShenzhen UniveristyShenzhenChina
- College of Information Science and TechnologyBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Frank Krueger
- School of Systems BiologyGeorge Mason UniversityFairfaxVirginia
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MannheimMannheimGermany
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Saulin A, Baumgartner T, Gianotti LRR, Hofmann W, Knoch D. Frequency of helping friends and helping strangers is explained by different neural signatures. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2019; 19:177-186. [PMID: 30406306 PMCID: PMC6344399 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-018-00655-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Acts of helping friends and strangers are part of everyday life. However, people vary significantly with respect to how often they help others and with respect to whom they actually help on a day-to-day basis. Despite everyday helping being so pervasive, these individual differences are poorly understood. Here, we used source-localized resting electroencephalography to measure objective and stable individual differences in neural baseline activation in combination with an ecologically valid method that allows assessment of helping behavior in the field. Results revealed that neural baseline activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) - a brain region associated with self-control and strategic social behavior - predicts the daily frequency of helping friends, whereas the daily frequency of helping strangers was predicted by neural baseline activation in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) - a brain region associated with social cognition processes. These findings offer evidence that distinct neural signatures and associated psychological and cognitive processes may underlie the propensity to help friends and strangers in daily life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne Saulin
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Baumgartner
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Lorena R R Gianotti
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Wilhelm Hofmann
- Social Cognition Center, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Daria Knoch
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Baumgartner T, Langenbach BP, Gianotti LRR, Müri RM, Knoch D. Frequency of everyday pro-environmental behaviour is explained by baseline activation in lateral prefrontal cortex. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9. [PMID: 30626887 PMCID: PMC6327023 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36956-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Humankind faces a plethora of environmental problems, many of which are directly influenced by individual human behaviour. To better understand pro-environmental behaviour, we here try to identify interindividual markers that explain variance in the frequency of every-day pro-environmental behaviour. So far, research on this topic has mainly relied on subjective self-report measures and has yielded mixed results. In this study, we applied a neural trait approach to assess stable, objective individual differences. Using source-localised electroencephalography, we measured cortical activation at rest and combined our neural task-independent data with an ecologically valid assessment of everyday pro-environmental behaviour. We find whole-brain-corrected evidence that task-independent baseline activation in the right lateral prefrontal cortex, a brain area known to be involved in cognitive control and self-control processes, explains individual differences in pro-environmental behaviour. The higher the cortical baseline activation in this area, the higher the frequency of everyday pro-environmental behaviour. Implications for the promotion of pro-environmental behaviour are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Baumgartner
- University of Bern, Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Fabrikstrasse 8, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Benedikt P Langenbach
- University of Bern, Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Fabrikstrasse 8, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lorena R R Gianotti
- University of Bern, Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Fabrikstrasse 8, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - René M Müri
- University Hospital Bern, Department of Neurology, University Neurorehabilitation, Freiburgstrasse 41c, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daria Knoch
- University of Bern, Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Fabrikstrasse 8, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Rudorf S, Baumgartner T, Markett S, Schmelz K, Wiest R, Fischbacher U, Knoch D. Intrinsic connectivity networks underlying individual differences in control-averse behavior. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:4857-4869. [PMID: 30156744 PMCID: PMC6866545 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
When people sense that another person tries to control their decisions, some people will act against the control, whereas others will not. This individual tendency to control-averse behavior can have far-reaching consequences, such as engagement in illegal activities or noncompliance with medical treatments. Although individual differences in control-averse behavior have been well documented in behavioral studies, their neurological basis is less well understood. Here, we use a neural trait approach to examine whether individual differences in control-averse behavior might be linked to stable brain-based characteristics. To do so, we analyze the association between intrinsic connectivity networks as measured by resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging and control-averse behavior in an economic exchange game. In this game, subjects make choices that are either free or controlled by another person, with real consequences to both interaction partners. We find that the individual level of control-averse behavior can be positively predicted by intrinsic connectivity within the salience network, but not the central executive network or the default mode network. Specifically, subjects with a more prominent connectivity hub in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex show greater levels of control-averse behavior. This finding provides the first evidence that the heterogeneity in control-averse behavior might originate in systematic differences of the stable functional brain organization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Rudorf
- Department of Social Psychology and Social NeuroscienceInstitute of Psychology, University of BernBernSwitzerland
- Center for Cognition, Learning and MemoryUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Thomas Baumgartner
- Department of Social Psychology and Social NeuroscienceInstitute of Psychology, University of BernBernSwitzerland
- Center for Cognition, Learning and MemoryUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Sebastian Markett
- Molecular Psychology, Department of PsychologyHumboldt University BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Katrin Schmelz
- Department of EconomicsUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Thurgau Institute of EconomicsKreuzlingenSwitzerland
| | - Roland Wiest
- Department of NeuroradiologyInselspitalBernSwitzerland
| | - Urs Fischbacher
- Department of EconomicsUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Thurgau Institute of EconomicsKreuzlingenSwitzerland
| | - Daria Knoch
- Department of Social Psychology and Social NeuroscienceInstitute of Psychology, University of BernBernSwitzerland
- Center for Cognition, Learning and MemoryUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Gianotti LRR, Lobmaier JS, Calluso C, Dahinden FM, Knoch D. Theta resting EEG in TPJ/pSTS is associated with individual differences in the feeling of being looked at. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2018; 13:216-223. [PMID: 29228358 PMCID: PMC5827341 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsx143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Direct eye gaze is a powerful stimulus in social interactions, yet people vary considerably in the range of gaze lines that they accept as being direct (cone of direct gaze, CoDG). Here, we searched for a possible neural trait marker of these individual differences. We measured the width of the CoDG in 137 healthy participants and related their individual CoDG to their neural baseline activation as measured with resting electroencephalogram. Using a source-localization technique, we found that resting theta current density in the left temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) and adjacent posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) was associated with the width of CoDG. Our findings suggest that the higher the baseline cortical activation in the left TPJ/pSTS, the wider the CoDG and thus the more liberal the individuals’ judgments were in deciding whether a looker stimulus was making eye contact or not. This is a first demonstration of the neural signatures underlying individual differences in the feeling of being looked at.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lorena R R Gianotti
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Janek S Lobmaier
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cinzia Calluso
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Business and Management, LUISS Guido Carli University, Rome 00197, Italy
| | - Franziska M Dahinden
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daria Knoch
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Tang H, Lu X, Cui Z, Feng C, Lin Q, Cui X, Su S, Liu C. Resting-state Functional Connectivity and Deception: Exploring Individualized Deceptive Propensity by Machine Learning. Neuroscience 2018; 395:101-112. [PMID: 30394323 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Individuals show marked variability in determining to be honest or deceptive in daily life. A large number of studies have investigated the neural substrates of deception; however, the brain networks contributing to the individual differences in deception remain unclear. In this study, we sought to address this issue by employing a machine-learning approach to predict individuals' deceptive propensity based on the topological properties of whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC). Participants finished the resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data acquisition, and then, one week later, participated as proposers in a modified ultimatum game in which they spontaneously chose to be honest or deceptive. A linear relevance vector regression (RVR) model was trained and validated to examine the relationship between topological properties of networks of RSFC and actual deceptive behaviors. The machine-learning model sufficiently decoded individual differences in deception using three brain networks based on RSFC, including the executive controlling network (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, middle frontal cortex, and orbitofrontal cortex), the social and mentalizing network (the temporal lobe, temporo-parietal junction, and inferior parietal lobule), and the reward network (putamen and thalamus). These networks have been found to form a signaling cognitive framework of deception by coding the mental states of others and the reward or values of deception or honesty, and integrating this information to make a final decision about being deceptive or honest. These findings suggest the potential of using RSFC as a task-independent neural trait for predicting deceptive propensity, and shed light on using machine-learning approaches in deception detection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Honghong Tang
- Business School, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xiaping Lu
- Brain, Mind & Markets Laboratory, Department of Finance, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Zaixu Cui
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Chunliang Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Qixiang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xuegang Cui
- Business School, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Song Su
- Business School, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Gianotti LRR, Dahinden FM, Baumgartner T, Knoch D. Understanding Individual Differences in Domain-General Prosociality: A Resting EEG Study. Brain Topogr 2018; 32:118-126. [PMID: 30267176 PMCID: PMC6327080 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-018-0679-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Prosocial behavior is of vital importance for the smooth functioning of society. However, the propensity to behave in a prosocial manner is characterized by vast individual differences. In order to reveal the sources of these differences, some studies have used objective, task-independent neural traits, for instance resting electroencephalography (EEG). Despite providing valuable insights into the neural signatures of several domains of prosociality, each of these studies has only focused on one single domain. Here, we exposed 137 participants to different social dilemma situations in order to obtain a measure of the individuals’ domain-general prosociality and recorded multi-channel task-independent, resting EEG. Using a source-localization technique, we found that resting current density within the temporo-parietal junction in two beta bands (beta2 and beta3) was positively associated with domain-general prosociality. This is the first demonstration of neural signatures underlying individual differences in the propensity to behave in a prosocial manner across different social situations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lorena R R Gianotti
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Franziska M Dahinden
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Baumgartner
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daria Knoch
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Resting-State Functional Connectivity Underlying Costly Punishment: A Machine-Learning Approach. Neuroscience 2018; 385:25-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.05.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
27
|
Gianotti LRR, Nash K, Baumgartner T, Dahinden FM, Knoch D. Neural signatures of different behavioral types in fairness norm compliance. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10513. [PMID: 30002413 PMCID: PMC6043573 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28853-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Fairness norm compliance is critical in any society. However, norm compliant behavior is very heterogeneous. Some people are reliably fair (voluntary compliers). Some are fair to avoid sanctions (sanction-based compliers), and some are reliably unfair (non-compliers). These types play divergent roles in society. However, they remain poorly understood. Here, we combined neural measures (resting electroencephalography and event-related potentials) and economic paradigms to better understand these types. We found that voluntary compliers are characterized by higher baseline activation in the right temporo-parietal junction, suggesting better social cognition capacity compared to sanction-based compliers and non-compliers. The latter two types are differentiated by (a) baseline activation in the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex, a brain area known to be involved in self-control processes, and (b) event-related potentials in a classic self-control task. Both results suggest that sanction-based compliers have better self-control capacity than non-compliers. These findings improve our understanding of fairness norm compliance. Broadly, our findings suggest that established training techniques that boost self-control might help non-compliers adhere to fairness norms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lorena R R Gianotti
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Kyle Nash
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Thomas Baumgartner
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Franziska M Dahinden
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daria Knoch
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Tei S, Fujino J, Hashimoto RI, Itahashi T, Ohta H, Kanai C, Kubota M, Nakamura M, Kato N, Takahashi H. Inflexible daily behaviour is associated with the ability to control an automatic reaction in autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8082. [PMID: 29795394 PMCID: PMC5967343 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26465-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflexible behaviours in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) broadly obstruct social communication. Meanwhile, flexibility implicates cognitive control to resolve socially conflicting situations; however, it remains unclear how people with ASD behave in the face of these conflicts in this respect. We used the ultimatum game (UG) and the implicit-association test (IAT) to examine goal-directed/economic flexibility, both of which involve conflict and cognitive control. In addition, we used the Detail and Flexibility Questionnaire (DFlex) to measure inflexible everyday behaviour with diminished cognitive control and attention shifting. We observed the decreased flexibility in participants with ASD (DFlex and IAT); further, their IAT scores positively correlated with DFlex. However, in the UG, contrary to our prediction, participants with ASD accepted unfair offers more frequently than TD. These results suggest that assessing the automatic/attention processing level with the IAT could be a useful approach to study behavioural flexibility among ASD compared with the UG, which might comprise multiple response strategies besides economic rationality. Overall, the severity of inflexible daily behaviours in people with ASD may be associated with a reduced flexible attitude at an automatic level, altered attention processing and decreased cognitive control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shisei Tei
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
- School of Human and Social Sciences, Tokyo International University, 2509 Matoba, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan
- Institute of Applied Brain Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
| | - Junya Fujino
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ryu-Ichiro Hashimoto
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Language Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Itahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruhisa Ohta
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chieko Kanai
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Manabu Kubota
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Research, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba, Japan
| | - Motoaki Nakamura
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Kanagawa Psychiatric Center, 2-5-1 Serigaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Nobumasa Kato
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hidehiko Takahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Feng C, Yuan J, Geng H, Gu R, Zhou H, Wu X, Luo Y. Individualized prediction of trait narcissism from whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:3701-3712. [PMID: 29749072 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Narcissism is one of the most fundamental personality traits in which individuals in general population exhibit a large heterogeneity. Despite a surge of interest in examining behavioral characteristics of narcissism in the past decades, the neurobiological substrates underlying narcissism remain poorly understood. Here, we addressed this issue by applying a machine learning approach to decode trait narcissism from whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC). Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data were acquired for a large sample comprising 155 healthy adults, each of whom was assessed for trait narcissism. Using a linear prediction model, we examined the relationship between whole-brain RSFC and trait narcissism. We demonstrated that the machine-learning model was able to decode individual trait narcissism from RSFC across multiple neural systems, including functional connectivity between and within limbic and prefrontal systems as well as their connectivity with other networks. Key nodes that contributed to the prediction model included the amygdala, prefrontal and anterior cingulate regions that have been linked to trait narcissism. These findings remained robust using different validation procedures. Our findings thus demonstrate that RSFC among multiple neural systems predicts trait narcissism at the individual level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunliang Feng
- College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haiyang Geng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ruolei Gu
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Zhou
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xia Wu
- College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuejia Luo
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Center for Emotion and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
- Depatment of Psychology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Baumgartner T, Saulin A, Hein G, Knoch D. Structural Differences in Insular Cortex Reflect Vicarious Injustice Sensitivity. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0167538. [PMID: 27930678 PMCID: PMC5145156 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensitivity to injustice inflicted on others is a strong motivator of human social behavior. There are, however, enormous individual differences in vicarious injustice sensitivity. Some people are strongly affected when witnessing injustice, while others barely notice it, but the factors behind this heterogeneity are poorly understood. Here we examine the neuroanatomical basis of these differences using voxel-based morphometry and Freesurfer image analysis suite. Whole brain corrected analyses show that a person's propensity to be vicariously affected by injustice to others is reflected by the gray matter volume and thickness of the bilateral mid insular cortex. The larger a person's gray matter volume and thickness of the mid insula, the higher that person's sensitivity to injustice experienced by others. These findings show that the individual neuroanatomy of the mid insular cortex captures a person's predisposition to be vicariously affected by injustice, and thus adds a novel aspect to previous functional work that has linked this region to the processing of transient vicarious states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Baumgartner
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anne Saulin
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Grit Hein
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daria Knoch
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Patterns of theta oscillation reflect the neural basis of individual differences in epistemic motivation. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29245. [PMID: 27380648 PMCID: PMC4933953 DOI: 10.1038/srep29245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Theta oscillations in the EEG have been shown to reflect ongoing cognitive processes related to mental effort. Here, we show that the pattern of theta oscillation in response to varying cognitive demands reflects stable individual differences in the personality trait epistemic motivation: Individuals with high levels of epistemic motivation recruit relatively more cognitive resources in response to situations possessing high, compared to low, cognitive demand; individuals with low levels do not show such a specific response. Our results provide direct evidence for the theory of the construct need for cognition and add to our understanding of the neural processes underlying theta oscillations. More generally, we provide an explanation how individual differences in personality traits might be represented on a neural level.
Collapse
|
32
|
Corgnet B, Espín AM, Hernán-González R. The cognitive basis of social behavior: cognitive reflection overrides antisocial but not always prosocial motives. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:287. [PMID: 26594158 PMCID: PMC4633515 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Even though human social behavior has received considerable scientific attention in the last decades, its cognitive underpinnings are still poorly understood. Applying a dual-process framework to the study of social preferences, we show in two studies that individuals with a more reflective/deliberative cognitive style, as measured by scores on the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT), are more likely to make choices consistent with “mild” altruism in simple non-strategic decisions. Such choices increase social welfare by increasing the other person's payoff at very low or no cost for the individual. The choices of less reflective individuals (i.e., those who rely more heavily on intuition), on the other hand, are more likely to be associated with either egalitarian or spiteful motives. We also identify a negative link between reflection and choices characterized by “strong” altruism, but this result holds only in Study 2. Moreover, we provide evidence that the relationship between social preferences and CRT scores is not driven by general intelligence. We discuss how our results can reconcile some previous conflicting findings on the cognitive basis of social behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brice Corgnet
- Argyros School of Business and Economics, Economic Science Institute, Chapman University Orange, CA, USA
| | - Antonio M Espín
- Economics Department, Middlesex University Business School London, UK ; Granada Lab of Behavioral Economics, Universidad de Granada Granada, Spain
| | - Roberto Hernán-González
- Granada Lab of Behavioral Economics, Universidad de Granada Granada, Spain ; Business School, University of Nottingham Nottingham, UK
| |
Collapse
|