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Lieberman MD. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience: the college years. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2024; 19:nsad080. [PMID: 38174440 PMCID: PMC10868136 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
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Sahi RS, Gaines EM, Nussbaum SG, Lee D, Lieberman MD, Eisenberger NI, Silvers JA. You changed my mind: Immediate and enduring impacts of social emotion regulation. Emotion 2023:2024-06501-001. [PMID: 37695321 DOI: 10.1037/emo0001284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
As social creatures, our relationships with other people have tremendous downstream impacts on health and well-being. However, we still know surprisingly little about how our social interactions regulate how we think and feel through life's challenges. Getting help from other people to change how one thinks about emotional events-known as "social reappraisal"-can be more effective in downregulating negative affect than reappraising on one's own, but it is unknown whether this regulatory boost from social support persists when people face the same events alone in the future. In a preregistered study of 120 young adults (N = 60 same-gender dyads, gender-split sample) involving in-lab emotion regulation tasks and a follow-up task online approximately 1 day later, we found that participants responded less negatively to aversive images that were socially regulated (i.e., reappraised with the help of a friend) both immediately and over time, as compared to images that had been solo regulated (i.e., reappraised on one's own) or not regulated (i.e., passively viewed). Interestingly, the regulatory boost from social support observed both in the lab and at follow-up was driven by women dyads. This work highlights one important mechanism explaining how support from others can facilitate emotional well-being: By changing peoples' lasting impressions of distressing events, interactions with others can help prepare them to cope with future exposure to those events on their own, underscoring how valuable others' perspectives can be when navigating ongoing emotional stressors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Razia S Sahi
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | | | | | - Daniel Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
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Welborn BL, Dieffenbach MC, Lieberman MD. Default egocentrism: an MVPA approach to overlap in own and others' socio-political attitudes. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:nsad028. [PMID: 37338858 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the socio-political attitudes of other people is a crucial skill, yet the neural mechanisms supporting this capacity remain understudied. This study used multivariate pattern analysis to examine patterns of activity in the default mode network (DMN) while participants assessed their own attitudes and the attitudes of other people. Classification analyses indicated that common patterns in DMN regions encode both own and others' support across a variety of contemporary socio-political issues. Moreover, cross-classification analyses demonstrated that a common coding of attitudes is implemented at a neural level. This shared informational content was associated with a greater perceived overlap between own attitude positions and those of others (i.e. attitudinal projection), such that higher cross-classification accuracy corresponded with greater attitudinal projection. This study thus identifies a possible neural basis for egocentric biases in the social perception of individual and group attitudes and provides additional evidence for self/other overlap in mentalizing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matthew D Lieberman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Straccia MA, Teed AR, Katzman PL, Tan KM, Parrish MH, Irwin MR, Eisenberger NI, Lieberman MD, Tabak BA. Null results of oxytocin and vasopressin administration on mentalizing in a large fMRI sample: evidence from a randomized controlled trial. Psychol Med 2023; 53:2285-2295. [PMID: 37310308 PMCID: PMC10123837 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721004104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although potential links between oxytocin (OT), vasopressin (AVP), and social cognition are well-grounded theoretically, most studies have included all male samples, and few have demonstrated consistent effects of either neuropeptide on mentalizing (i.e. understanding the mental states of others). To understand the potential of either neuropeptide as a pharmacological treatment for individuals with impairments in social cognition, it is important to demonstrate the beneficial effects of OT and AVP on mentalizing in healthy individuals. METHODS In the present randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (n = 186) of healthy individuals, we examined the effects of OT and AVP administration on behavioral responses and neural activity in response to a mentalizing task. RESULTS Relative to placebo, neither drug showed an effect on task reaction time or accuracy, nor on whole-brain neural activation or functional connectivity observed within brain networks associated with mentalizing. Exploratory analyses included several variables previously shown to moderate OT's effects on social processes (e.g., self-reported empathy, alexithymia) but resulted in no significant interaction effects. CONCLUSIONS Results add to a growing literature demonstrating that intranasal administration of OT and AVP may have a more limited effect on social cognition, at both the behavioral and neural level, than initially assumed. Randomized controlled trial registrations: ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT02393443; NCT02393456; NCT02394054.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Straccia
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Adam R. Teed
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Perri L. Katzman
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kevin M. Tan
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael H. Parrish
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael R. Irwin
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Matthew D. Lieberman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin A. Tabak
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA
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Abstract
Although subjective construal (i.e., our personal understanding of situations and the people and objects within them) has been an enduring topic in social psychology, its underlying mechanisms have never been fully explored. This review presents subjective construals as a kind of seeing (i.e., pre-reflective processes associated with effortless meaning-making). Three distinct forms of "seeing" (visual, semantic, and psychological) are discussed to highlight the breadth of these construals. The CEEing model characterizes these distinct domains of pre-reflective construals as all being Coherent Effortless Experiences associated with lateral posterior parietal cortex, lateral posterior temporal cortex, tempororoparietal junction, and ventral temporal cortex in an area dubbed gestalt cortex. The link between subjective construals and gestalt cortex is further strengthened by evidence showing that when people have similar subjective construals (i.e., they see things similarly) they show greater neural synchrony (i.e., correlated neural fluctuations over time) with each other in gestalt cortex. The fact that the act of CEEing tends to inhibit alternative construals is discussed as one of the multiple reasons why we fail to appreciate the idiosyncratic nature of our pre-reflective construals, leading to naïve realism and other conflict-inducing outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Tan KM, Daitch AL, Pinheiro-Chagas P, Fox KCR, Parvizi J, Lieberman MD. Electrocorticographic evidence of a common neurocognitive sequence for mentalizing about the self and others. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1919. [PMID: 35395826 PMCID: PMC8993891 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29510-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies of mentalizing (i.e., theory of mind) consistently implicate the default mode network (DMN). Nevertheless, the social cognitive functions of individual DMN regions remain unclear, perhaps due to limited spatiotemporal resolution in neuroimaging. Here we use electrocorticography (ECoG) to directly record neuronal population activity while 16 human participants judge the psychological traits of themselves and others. Self- and other-mentalizing recruit near-identical cortical sites in a common spatiotemporal sequence. Activations begin in the visual cortex, followed by temporoparietal DMN regions, then finally in medial prefrontal regions. Moreover, regions with later activations exhibit stronger functional specificity for mentalizing, stronger associations with behavioral responses, and stronger self/other differentiation. Specifically, other-mentalizing evokes slower and longer activations than self-mentalizing across successive DMN regions, implying lengthier processing at higher levels of representation. Our results suggest a common neurocognitive pathway for self- and other-mentalizing that follows a complex spatiotemporal gradient of functional specialization across DMN and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M. Tan
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Social Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Amy L. Daitch
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Laboratory of Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Pedro Pinheiro-Chagas
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Laboratory of Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Kieran C. R. Fox
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Laboratory of Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.168010.e0000000419368956School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Josef Parvizi
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Laboratory of Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.168010.e0000000419368956School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Matthew D. Lieberman
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Social Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA USA
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Cosme D, Flournoy JC, Livingston JL, Lieberman MD, Dapretto M, Pfeifer JH. Testing the adolescent social reorientation model during self and other evaluation using hierarchical growth curve modeling with parcellated fMRI data. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 54:101089. [PMID: 35245811 PMCID: PMC8891708 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is characterized as a period when relationships and experiences shift toward peers. The social reorientation model of adolescence posits this shift is driven by neurobiological changes that increase the salience of social information related to peer integration and acceptance. Although influential, this model has rarely been subjected to tests that could falsify it, or studied in longitudinal samples assessing within-person development. We focused on two phenomena that are highly salient and dynamic during adolescence—social status and self-perception—and examined longitudinal changes in neural responses during a self/other evaluation task. We expected status-related social information to uniquely increase across adolescence in social brain regions. Despite using hierarchical growth curve modeling with parcellated whole-brain data to increase power to detect developmental effects, we didn’t find evidence in support of this hypothesis. Social brain regions showed increased responsivity across adolescence, but this trajectory was not unique to status-related information. Additionally, brain regions associated with self-focused cognition showed heightened responses during self-evaluation in the transition to mid-adolescence, especially for status-related information. These results qualify existing models of adolescent social reorientation and highlight the multifaceted changes in self and social development that could be leveraged in novel ways to support adolescent health and well-being.
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Moieni M, Seeman TE, Robles TF, Lieberman MD, Okimoto S, Lengacher C, Irwin MR, Eisenberger NI. Generativity and Social Well-Being in Older Women: Expectations Regarding Aging Matter. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 76:289-294. [PMID: 32064530 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Beliefs about aging can contribute to health and well-being in older adults. Feeling generative, or that one is caring for and contributing to the well-being of others, can also impact health and well-being. In this study, we hypothesized that those with more positive expectations regarding aging (ERA) in the mental health domain would report greater levels of perceived social support (PSS) and lower levels of loneliness in response to a generativity intervention (vs control condition). METHOD Participants in this study (n = 73, 100% female) were randomly assigned to a 6-week generativity condition, which involved writing about life experiences and sharing advice with others, or to a control condition, which involved writing about neutral topics. Pre- and postintervention, PSS, and feelings of loneliness were measured. RESULTS Those in the generativity condition with more positive ERA in the mental health domain reported greater PSS and lower loneliness postintervention. DISCUSSION These results highlight the importance of psychological factors, such as ERA, in moderating the efficacy of interventions to promote social well-being in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Moieni
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Teresa E Seeman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
| | | | | | - Stephanie Okimoto
- UCLA Clinical and Translational Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Clara Lengacher
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Michael R Irwin
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, University of California, Los Angeles
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Dieffenbach MC, Gillespie GSR, Burns SM, McCulloh IA, Ames DL, Dagher MM, Falk EB, Lieberman MD. Neural reference groups: a synchrony-based classification approach for predicting attitudes using fNIRS. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 16:117-128. [PMID: 33025001 PMCID: PMC7812626 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social neuroscience research has demonstrated that those who are like-minded are also 'like-brained.' Studies have shown that people who share similar viewpoints have greater neural synchrony with one another, and less synchrony with people who 'see things differently.' Although these effects have been demonstrated at the 'group level,' little work has been done to predict the viewpoints of specific 'individuals' using neural synchrony measures. Furthermore, the studies that have made predictions using synchrony-based classification at the individual level used expensive and immobile neuroimaging equipment (e.g. functional magnetic resonance imaging) in highly controlled laboratory settings, which may not generalize to real-world contexts. Thus, this study uses a simple synchrony-based classification method, which we refer to as the 'neural reference groups' approach, to predict individuals' dispositional attitudes from data collected in a mobile 'pop-up neuroscience' lab. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy data, we predicted individuals' partisan stances on a sociopolitical issue by comparing their neural timecourses to data from two partisan neural reference groups. We found that partisan stance could be identified at above-chance levels using data from dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. These results indicate that the neural reference groups approach can be used to investigate naturally occurring, dispositional differences anywhere in the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macrina C Dieffenbach
- Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Grace S R Gillespie
- Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Shannon M Burns
- Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ian A McCulloh
- Accenture Federal Services, 800 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22203
| | - Daniel L Ames
- Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Munqith M Dagher
- Independent Institute & Administration Civil Society Studies (IIACSS) Research Group, Al Hussam Center 2 270 Arar Mustafa Wahbii Al Tal, Amman, Jordan
| | - Emily B Falk
- Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA, Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA, Wharton Marketing Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Weaverdyck ME, Lieberman MD, Parkinson C. Tools of the Trade Multivoxel pattern analysis in fMRI: a practical introduction for social and affective neuroscientists. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 15:487-509. [PMID: 32364607 PMCID: PMC7308652 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The family of neuroimaging analytical techniques known as multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) has dramatically increased in popularity over the past decade, particularly in social and affective neuroscience research using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). MVPA examines patterns of neural responses, rather than analyzing single voxel- or region-based values, as is customary in conventional univariate analyses. Here, we provide a practical introduction to MVPA and its most popular variants (namely, representational similarity analysis (RSA) and decoding analyses, such as classification using machine learning) for social and affective neuroscientists of all levels, particularly those new to such methods. We discuss how MVPA differs from traditional mass-univariate analyses, the benefits MVPA offers to social neuroscientists, experimental design and analysis considerations, step-by-step instructions for how to implement specific analyses in one's own dataset and issues that are currently facing research using MVPA methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam E Weaverdyck
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Carolyn Parkinson
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Tabak BA, Young KS, Torre JB, Way BM, Burklund LJ, Eisenberger NI, Lieberman MD, Craske MG. Preliminary Evidence That CD38 Moderates the Association of Neuroticism on Amygdala-Subgenual Cingulate Connectivity. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:11. [PMID: 32116489 PMCID: PMC7033443 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
CD38 genetic variation has been associated with autism spectrum disorders and social anxiety disorder, which may result from CD38’s regulation of oxytocin secretion. Converging evidence has found that the rs3796863 A-allele contributes to increased social sensitivity compared to the CC genotype. The current study examined the moderating role of CD38 genetic variants (rs3796863 and rs6449182) that have been associated with enhanced (or reduced) social sensitivity on neural activation related to neuroticism, which is commonly elevated in individuals with social anxiety and depression. Adults (n = 72) with varying levels of social anxiety and depression provided biological samples for DNA extraction, completed a measure of neuroticism, and participated in a standardized emotion processing task (affect matching) while undergoing fMRI. A significant interaction effect was found for rs3796863 x neuroticism that predicted right amygdala-subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) functional connectivity. Simple slopes analyses showed a positive association between neuroticism and right amygdala-sgACC connectivity among rs3796863 A-allele carriers. Findings suggest that the more socially sensitive rs3796863 A-allele may partially explain the relationship between a known risk factor (i.e. neuroticism) and promising biomarker (i.e. amygdala-sgACC connectivity) in the development and maintenance of social anxiety and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Tabak
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Katherine S Young
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jared B Torre
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Baldwin M Way
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Lisa J Burklund
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Naomi I Eisenberger
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Michelle G Craske
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Sewart AR, Niles AN, Burklund LJ, Saxbe DE, Lieberman MD, Craske MG. Corrigendum to "Examining Positive and Negative Affect as Outcomes and Moderators of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder" [Behav. Ther. 50(6) (2019) 1112-1124]. Behav Ther 2020; 51:203. [PMID: 32005337 PMCID: PMC7219512 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2019.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Sewart AR, Niles AN, Burklund LJ, Saxbe DE, Lieberman MD, Craske MG. Examining Positive and Negative Affect as Outcomes and Moderators of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder. Behav Ther 2019; 50:1112-1124. [PMID: 31735246 PMCID: PMC6866675 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2019.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders has been designed to target reductions in negative affect (NA) associated with defense-related processes. However, a subset of anxiety disorders, including social anxiety disorder (SAD), are also characterized by low positive affect (PA) resulting from separate deficits in appetitive-related processes. In contrast to CBT, "third-wave" approaches, such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), align more consistently with motivational processes and, as a result, PA. However, the differential effect of CBT and ACT on PA and NA has yet to be investigated. Using secondary data from a randomized controlled trial, the present study sought to compare CBT's (n = 45) and ACT's (n = 35) effect on PA and NA in SAD. Findings were compared to a wait-list (WL) control condition (n = 31), as well as normative data from a general adult sample. Baseline PA and NA were also examined as moderators and predictors of theory-relevant treatment outcomes. NA decreased significantly in both CBT and ACT from pre to posttreatment. Although ACT outperformed WL in reducing NA, this effect was not observed for CBT. PA increased significantly in both CBT and ACT from pre to posttreatment, with neither ACT nor CBT outperforming WL in increasing PA. Neither PA nor NA were found to moderate theoretically relevant treatment outcomes. Findings suggest that ACT and CBT share common treatment mechanisms, making them more similar than distinct. Further efforts should be focused on optimizing CBT's and ACT's influence on threat and reward learning, and elucidating common processes of change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy R. Sewart
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, 1285 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA,Corresponding author at: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, California 90095.
| | - Andrea N. Niles
- San Francisco VA Medical Center, 4150 Clement St., San Francisco CA 94121
| | - Lisa J. Burklund
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, 1285 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA
| | - Darby E. Saxbe
- University of Southern California, Department of Psychology, 3620 S. McClintock Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90089-1061
| | - Matthew D. Lieberman
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, 1285 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA
| | - Michelle G. Craske
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, 1285 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA
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Tan KM, Burklund LJ, Craske MG, Lieberman MD. Posttraumatic stress disorder and the social brain: Affect-related disruption of the default and mirror networks. Depress Anxiety 2019; 36:1058-1071. [PMID: 31654545 DOI: 10.1002/da.22953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social cognitive impairments, specifically in mentalizing and emotion recognition, are common and debilitating symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite this, little is known about the neurobiology of these impairments, as there are currently no published neuroimaging investigations of social inference in PTSD. METHODS Trauma-exposed veterans with and without PTSD (n = 20 each) performed the Why/How social inference task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Patients with PTSD had two fMRI sessions, between which they underwent affect labeling training. We probed the primary networks of the "social brain"-the default mode network (DMN) and mirror neuron system (MNS)-by examining neural activity evoked by mentalizing and action identification prompts, which were paired with emotional and nonemotional targets. RESULTS Hyperactivation to emotional stimuli differentiated PTSD patients from controls, correlated with symptom severity, and predicted training outcomes. Critically, these effects were nonsignificant or marginal for nonemotional stimuli. Results were generally consistent throughout DMN and MNS. Unexpectedly, effects were nonsignificant in core affect regions, but robust in regions that overlap with the dorsal attention, ventral attention, and frontoparietal control networks. CONCLUSIONS The array of social cognitive processes subserved by DMN and MNS appear to be inordinately selective for emotional stimuli in PTSD. However, core affective processes do not appear to be the primary instigators of such selectivity. Instead, we propose that affective attentional biases may instigate widespread affect-selectivity throughout the social brain. Affect labeling training may inhibit such biases. These accounts align with numerous reports of affect-biased attentional processes in PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Tan
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Lisa J Burklund
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Michelle G Craske
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
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15
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Tabak BA, Teed AR, Castle E, Dutcher JM, Meyer ML, Bryan R, Irwin MR, Lieberman MD, Eisenberger NI. Null results of oxytocin and vasopressin administration across a range of social cognitive and behavioral paradigms: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 107:124-132. [PMID: 31128568 PMCID: PMC6687062 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Research examining oxytocin and vasopressin in humans has the potential to elucidate neurobiological mechanisms underlying human sociality that have been previously unknown or not well characterized. A primary goal of this work is to increase our knowledge about neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders characterized by impairments in social cognition. However, years of research highlighting wide-ranging effects of, in particular, intranasal oxytocin administration have been tempered as the fields of psychology, neuroscience, and other disciplines have been addressing concerns over the reproducibility and validity of research findings. We present a series of behavioral tasks that were conducted using a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, between-subjects design, in which our research group found no main effects of oxytocin and vasopressin on a host of social outcomes. In addition to null hypothesis significance testing, we implemented equivalence testing and Bayesian hypothesis testing to examine the sensitivity of our findings. These analyses indicated that 47-83% of our results (depending on the method of post-hoc analysis) had enough sensitivity to detect the absence of a main effect. Our results add to evidence that intranasal oxytocin may have a more limited direct effect on human social processes than initially assumed and suggest that the direct effects of intranasal vasopressin may be similarly limited. Randomized controlled trial registration: NCT01680718.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A. Tabak
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX,Corresponding author: Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, 6116 N. Central Expressway, P.O. Box 750442, Dallas, TX 75206. Phone: (214-738-2315),
| | - Adam R. Teed
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
| | - Elizabeth Castle
- Department of Psychology, University of California – Los Angeles, CA
| | - Janine M. Dutcher
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Meghan L. Meyer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
| | | | - Michael R. Irwin
- Department of Psychology, University of California – Los Angeles, CA,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California – Los Angeles, CA,Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California – Los Angeles, CA
| | - Matthew D. Lieberman
- Department of Psychology, University of California – Los Angeles, CA,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California – Los Angeles, CA
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16
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Lieberman
- Psychology Department, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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17
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Brown LA, Young KS, Goldin PR, Torre JB, Burklund LJ, Davies CD, Niles AN, Lieberman MD, Saxbe DE, Craske MG. Self-referential processing during observation of a speech performance task in social anxiety disorder from pre- to post-treatment: Evidence of disrupted neural activation. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2019; 284:13-20. [PMID: 30622047 PMCID: PMC6415528 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Self-referential processing is critical to understanding social anxiety disorder (SAD). This study examined neural differences in self-referential processing in healthy controls (HC) and participants with SAD at pre- and post-treatment. Participants (n = 64) underwent fMRI scanning while viewing a video of themselves ("Self") or another person ("Other"). SAD participants were randomized to cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), or waitlist, and were re-scanned at post-treatment. In SAD vs. HC, the fusiform face area (FFA) showed significantly more activation during Self vs. Other, and greater SAD severity was associated with significantly more activation during Self vs. Other in the right FFA and the left extrastriate body area (EBA). Greater reduction in SAD severity was associated with stronger connectivity between the amygdala and FFA during Self vs. Other at post-treatment, whereas the strength of connectivity during Self and Other was comparable at post-treatment for those with less SAD reduction. Thus, there were significant differences in activation and functional connectivity of brain regions implicated in self-referential processing in SAD. Change in connectivity between the amygdala and FFA were observed as a function of change in SAD severity, suggesting that improvements in SAD severity may correct this altered functional connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily A Brown
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street Suite 600 N Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Katherine S Young
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Social, Genetic and Development Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
| | - Philippe R Goldin
- Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California, Davis, 4610 X Street Suite 4202, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
| | - Jared B Torre
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Lisa J Burklund
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; NeuroGen Technologies, Inc., P.O. Box 775 Burbank, CA 91505, USA.
| | - Carolyn D Davies
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Andrea N Niles
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Darby E Saxbe
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, 3620 South McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
| | - Michelle G Craske
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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18
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Burns SM, Barnes LN, Katzman PL, Ames DL, Falk EB, Lieberman MD. A functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) replication of the sunscreen persuasion paradigm. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2019; 13:628-636. [PMID: 29733408 PMCID: PMC6022533 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsy030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Activity in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during persuasive messages predicts future message-consistent behavior change, but there are significant limitations to the types of persuasion processes that can be invoked inside an MRI scanner. For instance, real world persuasion often involves multiple people in conversation. Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) allows us to move out of the scanner and into more ecologically valid contexts. As a first step, the current study used fNIRS to replicate an existing fMRI persuasion paradigm (i.e. the sunscreen paradigm) to determine if mPFC shows similar predictive value with this technology. Consistent with prior fMRI work, activity in mPFC was significantly associated with message-consistent behavior change, above and beyond self-reported intentions. There was also a difference in this association between previous users and non-users of sunscreen. Activity differences based on messages characteristics were not observed. Finally, activity in a region of right dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC), which has been observed with counterarguing against persuasive messages, correlated negatively with future behavior. The current results suggest it is reasonable to use fNIRS to examine persuasion paradigms that go beyond what is possible in the MRI scanner environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M Burns
- University of California Los Angeles Psychology Department, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
- Correspondence should be addressed to Shannon M. Burns, UCLA Psychology Department, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA. E-mail:
| | - Lianne N Barnes
- University of California Los Angeles Psychology Department, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
| | - Perri L Katzman
- New York University Psychology Department, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Daniel L Ames
- University of California Los Angeles Psychology Department, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
| | - Emily B Falk
- University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School for Communication, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- University of California Los Angeles Psychology Department, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
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19
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Burns SM, Barnes LN, McCulloh IA, Dagher MM, Falk EB, Storey JD, Lieberman MD. Making social neuroscience less WEIRD: Using fNIRS to measure neural signatures of persuasive influence in a Middle East participant sample. J Pers Soc Psychol 2019; 116:e1-e11. [PMID: 30614726 DOI: 10.1037/pspa0000144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The large majority of social neuroscience research uses WEIRD populations-participants from Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic locations. This makes it difficult to claim whether neuropsychological functions are universal or culture specific. In this study, we demonstrate one approach to addressing the imbalance by using portable neuroscience equipment in a study of persuasion conducted in Jordan with an Arabic-speaking sample. Participants were shown persuasive videos on various health and safety topics while their brain activity was measured using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Self-reported persuasiveness ratings for each video were then recorded. Consistent with previous research conducted with American subjects, this work found that activity in the dorsomedial and ventromedial prefrontal cortex predicted how persuasive participants found the videos and how much they intended to engage in the messages' endorsed behaviors. Further, activity in the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex was associated with persuasiveness ratings, but only in participants for whom the message was personally relevant. Implications for these results on the understanding of the brain basis of persuasion and on future directions for neuroimaging in diverse populations are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M Burns
- Department of Psychology, University of California - Los Angeles
| | - Lianne N Barnes
- Department of Psychology, University of California - Los Angeles
| | | | - Munqith M Dagher
- Independent Institute & Administration Civil Society Studies (IIACSS) Research Group
| | - Emily B Falk
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania
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21
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Lieberman MD, Straccia MA, Meyer ML, Du M, Tan KM. Social, self, (situational), and affective processes in medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC): Causal, multivariate, and reverse inference evidence. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 99:311-328. [PMID: 30610911 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) has been posited to serve a variety of social, affective, and cognitive functions. These conclusions have largely been driven by forward inference analyses (e.g. GLM fMRI studies and meta-analyses) that indicate where domain-specific tasks tend to produce activity but tell us little about what those regions do. Here, we take a multi-method, multi-domain approach to the functionality of MPFC subdivisions within Brodmann areas 9-11. We consider four methods that each have reverse inference or causal inference value: lesion work, transcranial magnetic stimulation, multivariate pattern analysis, and Neurosynth analyses. The Neurosynth analyses include multi-term reverse inference analyses that compare several domains of interest to one another at once. We examine the evidence supporting structure-function links in five domains: social cognition, self, value, emotional experience, and mental time travel. The evidence is considered for each of three MPFC subdivisions: dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC), anteromedial prefrontal cortex (AMPFC), and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC). Although there is evidentiary variability across methods, the results suggest that social processes are functionally linked to DMPFC (and somewhat surprisingly in VMPFC), self processes are linked to AMPFC, and affective processes are linked to AMPFC and VMPFC. There is also a relatively non-selective region of VMPFC that may support situational processing, a process key to each domain, but also independent of each.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Lieberman
- UCLA Psychology Department, 1248 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1563, United States.
| | - Mark A Straccia
- UCLA Psychology Department, 1248 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1563, United States
| | - Meghan L Meyer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Meng Du
- UCLA Psychology Department, 1248 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1563, United States
| | - Kevin M Tan
- UCLA Psychology Department, 1248 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1563, United States
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22
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Young KS, LeBeau RT, Niles AN, Hsu KJ, Burklund LJ, Mesri B, Saxbe D, Lieberman MD, Craske MG. Neural connectivity during affect labeling predicts treatment response to psychological therapies for social anxiety disorder. J Affect Disord 2019; 242:105-110. [PMID: 30173058 PMCID: PMC6816743 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although psychological treatments for social anxiety disorder (SAD) can be highly effective, many individuals do not respond to treatment. Identifying factors associated with improved outcomes can facilitate individualized treatment choices. We investigated whether patterns of neural connectivity predicted treatment responses and whether treatment type, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), moderated this effect. METHODS Participants with SAD (n = 34) underwent fMRI prior to treatment and completed implicit and explicit emotion regulation tasks. Neural connectivity measures were estimates of amygdala-prefrontal cortex connectivity. Treatment responder status was defined using the 'clinically significant change index' (Loerinc et al., 2015). RESULTS Right amygdala-right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex connectivity during implicit emotion regulation was a significant predictor of treatment response (OR = 9.01, 95% CI = 1.77, 46.0, p = .008). Stronger inverse connectivity was associated with greater likelihood of treatment response. There were no significant neural moderators of treatment response to CBT versus ACT. LIMITATIONS The primary limitation of this work was the small sample size which restricted the power to detect significant moderation effects, and results should be interpreted as preliminary. CONCLUSIONS Amygdala-vlPFC connectivity during affect labeling predicted treatment responder status following CBT or ACT for social anxiety disorder. This suggests that the functioning of neural circuitry supporting emotion regulation capacities may be a 'gateway' to receiving benefit from psychological treatments. Future work should aim to replicate this effect in a larger sample and consider methods for enhancing functional connectivity within this circuitry as a potential treatment adjunct.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andrea N. Niles
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco
| | | | | | - Bita Mesri
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Darby Saxbe
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California
| | | | - Michelle G. Craske
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles,Correspondence: Michelle Craske, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, 310-825-8403,
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23
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Welborn BL, Lieberman MD. Disconfirmation modulates the neural correlates of the false consensus effect: A parametric modulation approach. Neuropsychologia 2018; 121:1-10. [PMID: 30326205 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 09/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The false consensus effect (FCE) - the tendency to (erroneously) project our attitudes and opinions onto others - is an enduring bias in social reasoning with important societal implications. In this fMRI investigation, we examine the neural correlates of within-subject variation in consensus bias on a variety of social and political issues. Bias demonstrated a strong association with activity in brain regions implicated in self-related cognition, mentalizing, and valuation. Importantly, however, recruitment of these regions predicted consensus bias only in the presence of social disconfirmation, in the form of feedback discrepant with participants' own attitudes. These results suggest that the psychological and neural mechanisms underlying the tendency to project attitudes onto others are crucially moderated by motivational factors, including the desire to affirm the normativity of one's own position. This research complements social psychological theorizing about the factors contributing to the FCE, and further emphasizes the role of motivated cognition in social reasoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Locke Welborn
- SAGE Center for the Study of the Mind, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA.
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24
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Abstract
This paper will examine the conscious aspects of emotion (i.e. emotional experience), arguably the defining features of emotion. I will argue that emotion IS emotional experience and, consequently, that emotion researchers rarely study emotion itself. I will suggest a research agenda for examining the conscious aspects of emotion and end with a consideration of appraisal theory and how it can be made more relevant to the study of emotion by treating appraisals as components of a pre-reflective perceptual process rather than as causal antecedents of a cognitive process that can be self-reported on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Lieberman
- a UCLA Psychology Department , University of California , Los Angeles , CA , USA
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25
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26
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Memarian N, Torre JB, Haltom KE, Stanton AL, Lieberman MD. Neural activity during affect labeling predicts expressive writing effects on well-being: GLM and SVM approaches. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2018; 12:1437-1447. [PMID: 28992270 PMCID: PMC5629828 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsx084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Affect labeling (putting feelings into words) is a form of incidental emotion regulation that could underpin some benefits of expressive writing (i.e. writing about negative experiences). Here, we show that neural responses during affect labeling predicted changes in psychological and physical well-being outcome measures 3 months later. Furthermore, neural activity of specific frontal regions and amygdala predicted those outcomes as a function of expressive writing. Using supervised learning (support vector machines regression), improvements in four measures of psychological and physical health (physical symptoms, depression, anxiety and life satisfaction) after an expressive writing intervention were predicted with an average of 0.85% prediction error [root mean square error (RMSE) %]. The predictions were significantly more accurate with machine learning than with the conventional generalized linear model method (average RMSE: 1.3%). Consistent with affect labeling research, right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (RVLPFC) and amygdalae were top predictors of improvement in the four outcomes. Moreover, RVLPFC and left amygdala predicted benefits due to expressive writing in satisfaction with life and depression outcome measures, respectively. This study demonstrates the substantial merit of supervised machine learning for real-world outcome prediction in social and affective neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Annette L Stanton
- Department of Psychology.,Department of Psychiatry/Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- Department of Psychology.,Department of Psychiatry/Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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27
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Meyer ML, Lieberman MD. Why People Are Always Thinking about Themselves: Medial Prefrontal Cortex Activity during Rest Primes Self-referential Processing. J Cogn Neurosci 2018; 30:714-721. [DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Humans have a tendency to think about themselves. What generates this self-focus? One clue may come from the observation that the same part of the brain that supports self-reflection—the medial pFC (MPFC/Brodmann's area 10 [BA 10])—also spontaneously engages by default whenever the brain is free from external demands to attention. Here, we test the possibility that the default tendency to engage MPFC/BA 10 primes self-referential thinking. Participants underwent fMRI while alternating between brief periods of rest and experimental tasks in which they thought about their own traits, another person's traits, or another location's traits. Greater default engagement in MPFC/BA 10 during momentary breaks preferentially facilitated task performance on subsequent self-reflection trials on a moment-to-moment basis. These results suggest that reflexively engaging MPFC/BA 10 by default may nudge self-referential thinking, perhaps explaining why humans think about themselves so readily.
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28
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Lieberman MD. Birds of a Feather Synchronize Together. Trends Cogn Sci 2018; 22:371-372. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2018.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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29
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Meyer ML, Davachi L, Ochsner KN, Lieberman MD. Evidence That Default Network Connectivity During Rest Consolidates Social Information. Cereb Cortex 2018; 29:1910-1920. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2017] [Revised: 02/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Meghan L Meyer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Lila Davachi
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kevin N Ochsner
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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30
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Abstract
Putting feelings into words, or “affect labeling,” can attenuate our emotional experiences. However, unlike explicit emotion regulation techniques, affect labeling may not even feel like a regulatory process as it occurs. Nevertheless, research investigating affect labeling has found it produces a pattern of effects like those seen during explicit emotion regulation, suggesting affect labeling is a form of implicit emotion regulation. In this review, we will outline research on affect labeling, comparing it to reappraisal, a form of explicit emotion regulation, along four major domains of effects—experiential, autonomic, neural, and behavioral—that establish it as a form of implicit emotion regulation. This review will then speculate on possible mechanisms driving affect labeling effects and other remaining unanswered questions.
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31
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Goldenberg D, Telzer EH, Lieberman MD, Fuligni AJ, Galván A. Greater response variability in adolescents is associated with increased white matter development. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2017; 12:436-444. [PMID: 27651539 PMCID: PMC5390745 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of learning, exploration, and continuous adaptation to fluctuating environments. Response variability during adolescence is an important, understudied, and developmentally appropriate behavior. The purpose of this study was to identify the association between performance on a dynamic risky decision making task and white matter microstructure in a sample of 48 adolescents (14–16 years). Individuals with the greatest response variability on the task obtained the widest range of experience with potential outcomes to risky choice. When compared with their more behaviorally consistent peers, adolescents with greater response variability rated real-world examples of risk taking behaviors as less risky via self-report. Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) were used to examine fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD). Greater FA in long-range, late-maturing tracts was associated with higher response variability. Greater FA and lower MD were associated with lower riskiness ratings of real-world risky behaviors. Results suggest that response variability and lower perceived risk attitudes of real-world risk are supported by neural maturation in adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Goldenberg
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Eva H Telzer
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Andrew J Fuligni
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Adriana Galván
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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32
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Welborn BL, Gunter BC, Vezich IS, Lieberman MD. Neural Correlates of the False Consensus Effect: Evidence for Motivated Projection and Regulatory Restraint. J Cogn Neurosci 2017; 29:708-717. [DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The false consensus effect (FCE), the tendency to project our attitudes and opinions on to others, is a pervasive bias in social reasoning with a range of ramifications for individuals and society. Research in social psychology has suggested that numerous factors (anchoring and adjustment, accessibility, motivated projection, etc.) may contribute to the FCE. In this study, we examine the neural correlates of the FCE and provide evidence that motivated projection plays a significant role. Activity in reward regions (ventromedial pFC and bilateral nucleus accumbens) during consensus estimation was positively associated with bias, whereas activity in right ventrolateral pFC (implicated in emotion regulation) was inversely associated with bias. Activity in reward and regulatory regions accounted for half of the total variation in consensus bias across participants (R2 = .503). This research complements models of the FCE in social psychology, providing a glimpse into the neural mechanisms underlying this important phenomenon.
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33
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Young KS, Burklund LJ, Torre JB, Saxbe D, Lieberman MD, Craske MG. Treatment for social anxiety disorder alters functional connectivity in emotion regulation neural circuitry. Psychiatry Res 2017; 261:44-51. [PMID: 28129555 PMCID: PMC5330298 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2017.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized at a neurobiological level by disrupted activity in emotion regulation neural circuitry. Previous work has demonstrated amygdala hyperreactivity and disrupted prefrontal responses to social cues in individuals with SAD (Kim et al., 2011). While exposure-based psychological treatments effectively reduce SAD symptoms, not all individuals respond to treatment. Better understanding of the neural mechanisms involved offers the potential to improve treatment efficacy. In this study, we investigated functional connectivity in emotion regulation neural circuitry in a randomized controlled treatment trial for SAD. Participants with SAD underwent fMRI scanning while performing an implicit emotion regulation task prior to treatment (n=62). Following 12 weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, or wait-list, participants completed a second scan (n=42). Psychophysiological interaction analyses using amygdala seed regions demonstrated differences between SAD and healthy control participants (HC; n=16) in right amygdala-vmPFC connectivity. SAD participants demonstrated more negative amygdala-to-vmPFC connectivity, compared to HC participants, an effect that was correlated with SAD symptom severity. Post-treatment symptom reduction was correlated with altered amygdala-to-vm/vlPFC connectivity, independent of treatment type. Greater symptom reduction was associated with more negative amygdala-to-vm/vlPFC connectivity. These findings suggest that effective psychological treatment for SAD enhances amygdala-prefrontal functional connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine S Young
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
| | - Lisa J Burklund
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
| | - Jared B Torre
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
| | - Darby Saxbe
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
| | - Michelle G Craske
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA.
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Burklund LJ, Torre JB, Lieberman MD, Taylor SE, Craske MG. Neural responses to social threat and predictors of cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy in social anxiety disorder. Psychiatry Res 2017; 261:52-64. [PMID: 28129556 PMCID: PMC5435374 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2016.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has often highlighted hyperactivity in emotion regions to simple, static social threat cues in social anxiety disorder (SAD). Investigation of the neurobiology of SAD using more naturalistic paradigms can further reveal underlying mechanisms and how these relate to clinical outcomes. We used fMRI to investigate responses to novel dynamic rejection stimuli in individuals with SAD (N=70) and healthy controls (HC; N=17), and whether these responses predicted treatment outcomes following cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Both HC and SAD groups reported greater distress to rejection compared to neutral social stimuli. At the neural level, HCs exhibited greater activations in social pain/rejection regions, including dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula, to rejection stimuli. The SAD group evidenced a different pattern, with no differences in these rejection regions and relatively greater activations in the amygdala and other regions to neutral stimuli. Greater responses in anterior cingulate cortex and the amygdala to rejection vs. neutral stimuli predicted better CBT outcomes. In contrast, enhanced activity in sensory-focused posterior insula predicted ACT responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J Burklund
- University of California Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, United States.
| | - Jared B Torre
- University of California Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, United States
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- University of California Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, United States
| | - Shelley E Taylor
- University of California Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, United States
| | - Michelle G Craske
- University of California Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, United States
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Vezich IS, Katzman PL, Ames DL, Falk EB, Lieberman MD. Modulating the neural bases of persuasion: why/how, gain/loss, and users/non-users. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2017; 12:283-297. [PMID: 27521303 PMCID: PMC5516692 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Revised: 07/17/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Designing persuasive content is challenging, in part because people can be poor predictors of their actions. Medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) activation during message exposure reliably predicts downstream behavior, but past work has been largely atheoretical. We replicated past results on this relationship and tested two additional framing effects known to alter message receptivity. First, we examined gain- vs. loss-framed reasons for a health behavior (sunscreen use). Consistent with predictions from prospect theory, we observed greater MPFC activity to gain- vs. loss-framed messages, and this activity was associated with behavior. This relationship was stronger for those who were not previously sunscreen users. Second, building on theories of action planning, we compared neural activity during messages regarding how vs. why to enact the behavior. We observed rostral inferior parietal lobule and posterior inferior frontal gyrus activity during action planning ("how" messages), and this activity was associated with behavior; this is in contrast to the relationship between MPFC activity during the "why" (i.e., gain and loss) messages and behavior. These results reinforce that persuasion occurs in part via self-value integration-seeing value and incorporating persuasive messages into one's self-concept-and extend this work to demonstrate how message framing and action planning may influence this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Stephanie Vezich
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Perri L Katzman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Daniel L Ames
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Emily B Falk
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Pfeifer JH, Mahy CEV, Merchant JS, Chen C, Masten CL, Fuligni AJ, Lieberman MD, Lessard J, Dong Q, Chen C. Neural systems for reflected and direct self-appraisals in Chinese young adults: Exploring the role of the temporal-parietal junction. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol 2017; 23:45-58. [PMID: 28045310 PMCID: PMC10826844 DOI: 10.1037/cdp0000122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Although cortical midline structures (CMS) are the most commonly identified neural foundations of self-appraisals, research is beginning to implicate the temporal-parietal junction (TPJ) in more interdependent self-construals. The goal of this study was to extend this research in an understudied population by (a) examining both direct (first-person) and reflected (third-person) self-appraisals across 2 domains (social and academics), and (b) exploring individual differences in recruitment of the TPJ during reflected self-appraisals. METHOD The neural correlates of direct and reflected self-appraisals in social and academic domains were examined in 16 Chinese young adults (8 males, 8 females; aged 18-23 years) using functional MRI. RESULTS As expected, when making reflected self-appraisals (i.e., reporting what they believed others thought about them, regardless of domain), Chinese participants recruited both CMSs and the TPJ. Similar to previous research in East Asian and interdependent samples, CMSs and the TPJ were relatively more active during direct self-appraisals in the social than in the academic domain. We additionally found that, to the extent participants reported that reflected academic self-appraisals differed from direct academic self-appraisals, they demonstrated greater engagement of the TPJ during reflected academic self-appraisals. Exploratory cross-national comparisons with previously published data from American participants revealed that Chinese young adults engaged the TPJ relatively more during reflected self-appraisals made from peer perspectives. CONCLUSIONS In combination with previous research, these findings increase support for a role of the TPJ in self-appraisal processes, particularly when Chinese young adults consider peer perspectives. The possible functional contributions provided by the TPJ are explored and discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Chunhui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University
| | | | - Andrew J. Fuligni
- Dept. of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles
- FPR-UCLA Center for Culture, Brain, & Development
| | | | - Jared Lessard
- Research Institute on Addictions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Qi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Dept. of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine
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Lieberman MD, Jarcho JM, Obayashi J. Attributional Inference Across Cultures: Similar Automatic Attributions and Different Controlled Corrections. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 2016; 31:889-901. [PMID: 15951361 DOI: 10.1177/0146167204274094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Five studies examined the automatic and controlled components of attributional inference in U.S. and East Asian (EA) samples. Studies 1 through 3 used variations of the “anxious woman” paradigm, manipulating the inferential goal (dispositional or situational) and the normative impact of situational constraint information (discounting or augmenting). In each study, U.S. and EA participants under cognitive load produced strong automatic attributions to the focus of their inferential goal (dispositional or situational). Compared with the U.S. cognitive load participants, U.S. no load participants corrected their attributions according to the normative rules of inference. In contrast, EA no load participants corrected in the direction of situational causality, even when the specific content of the situational information provided should have promoted stronger dispositional inferences. Studies 4 and 5 examined and ruled out alternative accounts. Results are discussed in terms of a situational causality heuristic present in EA individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Lieberman
- Department of Psychology, University of California-Los Angeles, 90095-1563, USA.
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Tabak BA, Meyer ML, Dutcher JM, Castle E, Irwin MR, Lieberman MD, Eisenberger NI. Oxytocin, but not vasopressin, impairs social cognitive ability among individuals with higher levels of social anxiety: a randomized controlled trial. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2016; 11:1272-9. [PMID: 27053769 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with social anxiety are characterized by a high degree of social sensitivity, which can coincide with impairments in social cognitive functioning (e.g. theory of mind). Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) have been shown to improve social cognition, and OT has been theorized as a potential therapeutic agent for individuals with social anxiety disorder. However, no study has investigated whether these neuropeptides improve social cognitive ability among socially anxious individuals. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, between-subjects design we investigated whether social anxiety moderated the effects of OT or AVP (vs placebo) on social working memory (i.e. working memory that involves manipulating social information) and non-social working memory. OT vs placebo impaired social working memory accuracy in participants with higher levels of social anxiety. No differences were found for non-social working memory or for AVP vs placebo. Results suggest that OT administration in individuals with higher levels of social anxiety may impair social cognitive functioning. Randomized-controlled trial registration: NCT01680718.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Michael R Irwin
- Department of Psychology Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, David Geffen School of Medicine Semel Institute for Neuroscience, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- Department of Psychology Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine
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Qu Y, Fuligni AJ, Galván A, Lieberman MD, Telzer EH. Links between parental depression and longitudinal changes in youths' neural sensitivity to rewards. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2016; 11:1262-71. [PMID: 27013103 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Parental depression is a significant risk factor for adolescents' engagement in risk taking. Yet the neural processes that mediate the link between parental depression and adolescents' functioning remain unknown. Using a longitudinal functional magnetic resonance imaging design, we investigated how parental depression is associated with changes in adolescents' neural reactivity to rewards during a risk-taking task, and how such changes in neural reactivity are associated with changes in risk-taking behavior. Greater parental depressive symptoms were associated with increases in their adolescent child's risk taking and self-reported externalizing behavior over time. At the neural level, adolescents of parents with greater depressive symptoms showed longitudinal increases in the ventral striatum and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to rewards during risk taking. Longitudinal increases in adolescents' ventral striatum activation mediates the link between greater parental depression and increases in adolescents' risk taking and externalizing behavior. These findings provide novel evidence that parental depression may contribute to changes in adolescents' neural reactivity to rewards over time, which is associated with greater increases in their risk taking and externalizing behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Qu
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA61820
| | - Andrew J Fuligni
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA90095 Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA90095
| | - Adriana Galván
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA90095 Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 90095
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA90095 Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA90095
| | - Eva H Telzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA61820 Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA, 61820
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Abstract
Despite the importance of perspective taking for navigating the social world, even healthy adults frequently misinterpret what other people think and feel. Yet, to date, no research examines whether perspective-taking accuracy can be improved among healthy adult samples. Building off of work suggesting that social working memory (SWM) capacity (i.e., the ability to maintain and manipulate social cognitive information in mind) predicts perspective-taking skills, we developed a novel SWM training intervention to test the hypothesis that SWM training improves perspective-taking accuracy. Participants were randomly assigned to complete 12 days of either SWM training or nonsocial, “cognitive working memory” (CWM) training (active control condition). Perspective-taking accuracy was assessed pre- and posttraining. SWM training significantly increased perspective-taking accuracy and these improvements significantly surpassed improvements made by participants who underwent CWM training. SWM training therefore may be an efficient route toward improved perspective-taking accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan L. Meyer
- Psychology Department, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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Cascio CN, O'Donnell MB, Tinney FJ, Lieberman MD, Taylor SE, Strecher VJ, Falk EB. Self-affirmation activates brain systems associated with self-related processing and reward and is reinforced by future orientation. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2015; 11:621-9. [PMID: 26541373 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsv136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-affirmation theory posits that people are motivated to maintain a positive self-view and that threats to perceived self-competence are met with resistance. When threatened, self-affirmations can restore self-competence by allowing individuals to reflect on sources of self-worth, such as core values. Many questions exist, however, about the underlying mechanisms associated with self-affirmation. We examined the neural mechanisms of self-affirmation with a task developed for use in a functional magnetic resonance imaging environment. Results of a region of interest analysis demonstrated that participants who were affirmed (compared with unaffirmed participants) showed increased activity in key regions of the brain's self-processing (medial prefrontal cortex + posterior cingulate cortex) and valuation (ventral striatum + ventral medial prefrontal cortex) systems when reflecting on future-oriented core values (compared with everyday activities). Furthermore, this neural activity went on to predict changes in sedentary behavior consistent with successful affirmation in response to a separate physical activity intervention. These results highlight neural processes associated with successful self-affirmation, and further suggest that key pathways may be amplified in conjunction with prospection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher N Cascio
- University of Pennsylvania, Annenverg School for Communication, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Francis J Tinney
- University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research, Ann Arbor, MI
| | | | - Shelley E Taylor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Victor J Strecher
- University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Emily B Falk
- University of Pennsylvania, Annenverg School for Communication, Philadelphia, PA
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Tsai W, Lau AS, Niles AN, Coello J, Lieberman MD, Ko AC, Hur C, Stanton AL. Ethnicity moderates the outcomes of self-enhancement and self-improvement themes in expressive writing. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol 2015; 21:584-92. [PMID: 25111547 PMCID: PMC4324393 DOI: 10.1037/cdp0000012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The current study examined whether writing content related to self-enhancing (viz., downward social comparison and situational attributions) and self-improving (viz., upward social comparison and persistence) motivations were differentially related to expressive writing outcomes among 17 Asian American and 17 European American participants. Content analysis of the essays revealed no significant cultural group differences in the likelihood of engaging in self-enhancing versus self-improving reflections on negative personal experiences. However, cultural group differences were apparent in the relation between self-motivation processes and changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms at 3-month follow-up. Among European Americans, writing that reflected downward social comparison predicted positive outcomes, whereas persistence writing themes were related to poorer outcomes. For Asian Americans, writing about persistence was related to positive outcomes, whereas downward social comparison and situational attributions predicted poorer outcomes. Findings provide evidence suggesting culturally distinct mechanisms for the effects of expressive disclosure. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- William Tsai
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Anna S Lau
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Andrea N Niles
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Jordan Coello
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | | | - Ahra C Ko
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Christopher Hur
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
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Abstract
During the transformative period of adolescence, social influence plays a prominent role in shaping young people's emerging social identities, and can impact their propensity to engage in prosocial or risky behaviors. In this study, we examine the neural correlates of social influence from both parents and peers, two important sources of influence. Nineteen adolescents (age 16-18 years) completed a social influence task during a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan. Social influence from both sources evoked activity in brain regions implicated in mentalizing (medial prefrontal cortex, left temporoparietal junction, right temporoparietal junction), reward (ventromedial prefrontal cortex), and self-control (right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex). These results suggest that mental state reasoning, social reward and self-control processes may help adolescents to evaluate others' perspectives and overcome the prepotent force of their own antecedent attitudes to shift their attitudes toward those of others. Findings suggest common neural networks involved in social influence from both parents and peers.
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Abstract
Vul, Harris, Winkielman, and Pashler (2009), (this issue) claim that many brain-personality correlations in fMRI studies are "likely … spurious" (p. 274), and "should not be believed" (p. 285). Several of their conclusions are incorrect. First, they incorrectly claim that whole-brain regressions use an invalid and "nonindependent" two-step inferential procedure, a determination based on a survey sent to researchers that only included nondiagnostic questions about the descriptive process of plotting one's data. We explain how whole-brain regressions are a valid single-step method of identifying brain regions that have reliable correlations with individual difference measures. Second, they claim that large correlations from whole-brain regression analyses may be the result of noise alone. We provide a simulation to demonstrate that typical fMRI sample sizes will only rarely produce large correlations in the absence of any true effect. Third, they claim that the reported correlations are inflated to the point of being "implausibly high." Though biased post hoc correlation estimates are a well-known consequence of conducting multiple tests, Vul et al. make inaccurate assumptions when estimating the theoretical ceiling of such correlations. Moreover, their own "meta-analysis suggests that the magnitude of the bias is approximately .12-a rather modest bias.
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Abstract
Abstract
Humans readily adopt an intentional stance to other people, comprehending their behavior as guided by unobservable mental states such as belief, desire, and intention. We used fMRI in healthy adults to test the hypothesis that this stance is primed by the default mode of human brain function present when the mind is at rest. We report three findings that support this hypothesis. First, brain regions activated by actively adopting an intentional rather than nonintentional stance to a social stimulus were anatomically similar to those demonstrating default responses to fixation baseline in the same task. Second, moment-to-moment variation in default activity during fixation in the dorsomedial PFC was related to the ease with which participants applied an intentional—but not nonintentional—stance to a social stimulus presented moments later. Finally, individuals who showed stronger dorsomedial PFC activity at baseline in a separate task were generally more efficient when adopting the intentional stance and reported having greater social skills. These results identify a biological basis for the human tendency to adopt the intentional stance. More broadly, they suggest that the brain's default mode of function may have evolved, in part, as a response to life in a social world.
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Meyer ML, Taylor SE, Lieberman MD. Social working memory and its distinctive link to social cognitive ability: an fMRI study. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2015; 10:1338-47. [PMID: 25987597 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsv065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Engaging social working memory (SWM) during effortful social cognition has been associated with neural activation in two neurocognitive systems: the medial frontoparietal system and the lateral frontoparietal system. However, the respective roles played by these systems in SWM remain unknown. Results from this study demonstrate that only the medial frontoparietal system supports the social cognitive demands managed in SWM. In contrast, the lateral frontoparietal system supports the non-social cognitive demands that are needed for task performance, but that are independent of the social cognitive computations. Moreover, parametric increases in the medial frontoparietal system, but not the lateral frontoparietal system, in response to SWM load predicted performance on a challenging measure of perspective-taking. Thus, the medial frontoparietal system may uniquely support social cognitive processes in working memory and the working memory demands afforded by effortful social cognition, such as the need to track another person's perspective in mind.
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Niles AN, Craske MG, Lieberman MD, Hur C. Affect labeling enhances exposure effectiveness for public speaking anxiety. Behav Res Ther 2015; 68:27-36. [PMID: 25795524 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2015.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Revised: 01/22/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Exposure is an effective treatment for anxiety but many patients do not respond fully. Affect labeling (labeling emotional experience) attenuates emotional responding. The current project examined whether affect labeling enhances exposure effectiveness in participants with public speaking anxiety. Participants were randomized to exposure with or without affect labeling. Physiological arousal and self-reported fear were assessed before and after exposure and compared between groups. Consistent with hypotheses, participants assigned to Affect Labeling, especially those who used more labels during exposure, showed greater reduction in physiological activation than Control participants. No effect was found for self-report measures. Also, greater emotion regulation deficits at baseline predicted more benefit in physiological arousal from exposure combined with affect labeling than exposure alone. The current research provides evidence that behavioral strategies that target prefrontal-amygdala circuitry can improve treatment effectiveness for anxiety and these effects are particularly pronounced for patients with the greatest deficits in emotion regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea N Niles
- University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA.
| | - Michelle G Craske
- University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
| | - Matthew D Lieberman
- University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
| | - Christopher Hur
- University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
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