Ch. 13: Social Cognition LM Flashcards
Sarah observes her friend, Emily, looking distressed while reading a text message. Sarah immediately feels a pang of sadness and concern for Emily. Which component of empathy is Sarah most likely experiencing in this scenario?
A. Cognitive perspective-taking
B. Emotional contagion
C. Pro-social action
D. Theory of mind
Answer: B. Emotional contagion
Explanation: Emotional contagion is the automatic and unconscious tendency to experience the same emotions as those around us. In this scenario, Sarah is directly experiencing Emily’s distress, without necessarily engaging in cognitive perspective-taking or taking any pro-social action.
A researcher is conducting a study using the ultimatum game to investigate the neural correlates of fairness. They hypothesize that when participants receive an unfair offer, they will show increased activity in brain regions associated with negative emotions and cognitive control. Which of the following brain regions would the researcher most likely expect to see activated in response to an unfair offer?
A. Nucleus accumbens
B. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
C. Anterior insula
D. Temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
Answer: C. Anterior insula
Explanation: the anterior insula is associated with feeling disgust, and activity in this region increases with increasing unfairness of an offer in the ultimatum game. The other options are less likely to be specifically associated with the negative emotions elicited by unfairness.
According to the social brain hypothesis, why did the human brain evolve to be disproportionately large compared to other primates?
A. To support the development of language for complex communication.
B. To facilitate the processing of visual information in complex environments.
C. To enhance memory capacity for storing vast amounts of knowledge.
D. To manage the cognitive demands of navigating complex social relationships.
Answer: D. To manage the cognitive demands of navigating complex social relationships.
Explanation: the social brain hypothesis proposes that the primate brain, and specifically the human brain, evolved to be disproportionately large to support the social cognition necessary for successful group living. This includes managing complex social relationships, understanding social cues, and engaging in cooperative behaviors.
A study is investigating the neural correlates of social conformity using fMRI. Participants are asked to rate the attractiveness of different faces while receiving feedback about the average ratings of other participants. The researchers find that activity in a specific brain region increases when participants’ ratings differ from the group’s average. Based on the sources, which brain region is most likely showing this increased activity?
A. Rostral cingulate zone (RCz)
B. Nucleus accumbens (NAc)
C. Amygdala
D. Hippocampus
Answer: A. Rostral cingulate zone (RCz)
Explanation: activity in the RCz increases when participants receive feedback that their ratings differ from group ratings, suggesting a conflict-monitoring role for this region in social conformity.
Researchers are using fMRI to study the neural correlates of conformity. They design a task where participants have to judge the length of lines while receiving feedback about the judgments of other participants. Which of the following findings would provide the strongest evidence for the involvement of the reward system in conformity?
A. Increased activity in the rostral cingulate zone (RCz) when participants’ judgments differ from the group.
B. Increased activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) when participants’ judgments align with the group.
C. Decreased activity in the amygdala when participants conform to the group’s judgments.
D. Increased activity in the hippocampus when participants remember the group’s judgments.
Answer: B. Increased activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) when participants’ judgments align with the group.
Explanation: the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key structure in the brain’s reward system. Finding increased activity in this area when participants conform suggests that aligning with the group is experienced as rewarding, supporting the idea that conformity can be driven by a desire for social acceptance and positive reinforcement.
A study investigates the effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on conformity. TMS is applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of participants before they engage in a task where they have to make judgments about the attractiveness of faces while receiving feedback about the judgments of others. Which of the following outcomes would support the hypothesis that the DLPFC is essential for resisting social influence?
A. Participants receiving TMS to the DLPFC show increased conformity to the group’s judgments.
B. Participants receiving TMS to the DLPFC show no change in their conformity levels.
C. Participants receiving TMS to the DLPFC show increased activity in the nucleus accumbens.
D. Participants receiving TMS to the DLPFC report feeling more anxious during the task.
Answer: A. Participants receiving TMS to the DLPFC show increased conformity to the group’s judgments.
Explanation: the DLPFC’s role in cognitive control and conflict resolution, which are crucial for resisting social pressure. If disrupting DLPFC activity via TMS leads to increased conformity, it suggests that this brain region is necessary for individuals to override the influence of the group and maintain their independent judgments.
Damage to which brain area is most likely to result in difficulties understanding and complying with social norms, potentially leading to socially inappropriate behavior?
A. Hippocampus
B. Amygdala
C. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
D. Cerebellum
Answer: C. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
Explanation: damage to the OFC is strongly associated with alterations in social behavior and judgments. The OFC is involved in integrating emotional cues with decision-making, a process crucial for navigating social situations and adhering to social norms.
Which of the following statements about the neural basis of conformity is best supported by the information provided in the sources?
A. Conformity relies solely on the brain’s reward system, as aligning with the group is always experienced as pleasurable.
B. The rostral cingulate zone (RCz) plays a key role in detecting conflicts between one’s own judgments and the judgments of others.
C. The amygdala is the primary brain region responsible for inhibiting conforming behavior.
D. Social conformity is a simple process involving only a single brain region.
Answer: B. The rostral cingulate zone (RCz) plays a key role in detecting conflicts between one’s own judgments and the judgments of others.
Explanation: increased activity in the RCz is observed when participants receive feedback that their ratings differ from group ratings, suggesting its involvement in conflict monitoring during conformity.
Imagine a study investigating the neural basis of conformity using the ultimatum game. Participants play the role of the receiver and are presented with offers from different players that vary in fairness. Which of the following findings would be consistent with the sources’ description of the brain regions involved in processing fairness and social norms?
A. Increased activity in the nucleus accumbens when receiving fair offers compared to unfair offers.
B. Increased activity in the anterior insula when receiving unfair offers compared to fair offers.
C. Decreased activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) when deciding whether to accept or reject an unfair offer.
D. All of the above.
Answer: D. All of the above.
Explanation:
●the nucleus accumbens with reward, so it’s plausible that fair offers, representing positive social interactions, would elicit increased activity.
●The anterior insula is linked to disgust and is thought to be more active in response to unfair offers, reflecting the negative emotional response to violations of social norms.
●The DLPFC is involved in cognitive control and conflict resolution. Deciding whether to accept or reject an unfair offer involves weighing potential gains against the social implications of accepting an unfair deal. This complex decision-making process would likely require DLPFC engagement.
A researcher is using fMRI to examine brain activity while participants play the ultimatum game. They observe that when participants are offered a very small, unfair portion of the reward, there is increased activity in their anterior insula. What is the most likely interpretation of this finding?
A. The anterior insula is involved in experiencing pleasure related to receiving rewards, even if they are small.
B. The anterior insula is activated when individuals are trying to understand the intentions of others.
C. The anterior insula is involved in processing disgust, potentially in response to the unfairness of the offer.
D. The anterior insula is responsible for suppressing emotional reactions in social situations.
C. The anterior insula is involved in processing disgust, potentially in response to the unfairness of the offer.
Explanation: the anterior insula is associated with feeling disgust and that activity in this region increases with the increasing unfairness of an offer in the ultimatum game. This suggests that the anterior insula plays a role in our emotional response to violations of social norms, such as fairness.
Following a traumatic brain injury that damaged his orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), John began exhibiting significant changes in his social behavior. He often makes inappropriate comments, disregards social cues, and struggles to follow rules in social situations. How might the damage to John’s OFC explain these changes?
A. The OFC is responsible for processing language, and the damage has impaired John’s ability to understand social cues.
B. The OFC plays a role in inhibiting impulsive actions, and the damage has made it difficult for John to control his behavior.
C. The OFC is involved in integrating emotional information with decision-making, which is crucial for social norm compliance.
D. The OFC is responsible for forming memories of social events, and the damage has impaired John’s ability to learn from past experiences.
Answer: C. The OFC is involved in integrating emotional information with decision-making, which is crucial for social norm compliance.
Explanation: the OFC, particularly the lateral OFC, is crucial for integrating emotional cues with decision-making. Damage to this area can impair a person’s ability to evaluate the social and emotional consequences of their actions, leading to difficulties understanding and complying with social norms.
Researchers hypothesize that disrupting activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) will lead to increased conformity. They use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to temporarily inhibit the DLPFC of participants before asking them to participate in a task where they have to judge the attractiveness of faces while receiving feedback about the judgments of others. Which result would best support their hypothesis?
A. Participants who received TMS to the DLPFC show higher accuracy in their judgments of facial attractiveness compared to a control group.
B. Participants who received TMS to the DLPFC are more likely to change their judgments to align with the feedback, even when the feedback is clearly incorrect.
C. Participants who received TMS to the DLPFC report feeling less confident in their judgments after receiving feedback, regardless of whether the feedback was positive or negative.
D. Participants who received TMS to the DLPFC show no significant difference in their conformity behavior compared to the control group.
Answer: B. Participants who received TMS to the DLPFC are more likely to change their judgments to align with the feedback, even when the feedback is clearly incorrect.
Explanation: The DLPFC is associated with cognitive control and conflict resolution, functions that are important for resisting social pressure. If inhibiting the DLPFC with TMS leads to increased conformity, it would support the idea that this brain area plays a key role in allowing individuals to maintain their independent judgments even in the face of opposing social influence.
Which statement best describes the role of the frontal lobes, including the OFC, DLPFC, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), in social norm compliance?
A. They are primarily responsible for processing and understanding social cues, such as facial expressions and body language.
B. They are crucial for emotional regulation, ensuring individuals remain calm and collected in social situations, thus preventing inappropriate behavior.
C. They are responsible for inhibiting the brain’s reward system, reducing the desire for social approval and minimizing conformity.
D. They support executive functions, cognitive control, and decision-making, which are essential for evaluating social situations and adhering to social norms.
Answer: D. They support executive functions, cognitive control, and decision-making, which are essential for evaluating social situations and adhering to social norms.
Explanation: the frontal lobes, particularly the OFC, DLPFC, and ACC, are critical for cognitive control and decision-making, processes necessary for social norm compliance. These regions allow us to evaluate social contexts, consider potential consequences of actions, and regulate our behavior accordingly.
The ultimatum game, frequently used in studies on social norm compliance, relies on which of the following social norms to elicit participant responses?
A. Obedience to authority
B. Reciprocity
C. Fairness
D. Conformity
Answer: C. Fairness
Explanation: the ultimatum game is used to study social norms of fairness. In this game, one player proposes how to split a sum of money, and the other player decides whether to accept or reject the offer. The game’s structure is designed to evoke responses related to fairness, as even when offered a small amount, a receiver might reject the offer if they perceive it as unfair, opting for neither player to get anything.
A researcher is conducting an fMRI study where participants watch animated shapes interact in ways that suggest intentionality and emotions. Which brain region would the researcher most likely expect to see activated when participants perceive these social interactions between the shapes?
A. Amygdala
B. Hippocampus
C. Superior temporal sulcus
D. Temporoparietal junction
Answer: D. Temporoparietal junction
Explanation: the temporoparietal junction is activated during tasks related to mentalizing, such as the Heider-Simmel Illusion, in which participants attribute mental states to objects moving in specific ways. Observing animated shapes interacting with apparent intentionality would likely engage similar mentalizing processes, leading to activation in this region.
