Emotions 2 Flashcards
What is emotional awareness?
The ability to identify your own and other people’s emotions
The ability to identify your own and other people’s emotions
This is known as…?
Emotional awareness
What is emotional contagion?
Fast automatic responses to emotional expressions in another person (mimicry)
Fast automatic responses to emotional expressions in another person (mimicry)
This is known as…?
Emotional contagion
What is empathy?
Feeling and experiencing what another person is feeling
Feeling and experiencing what another person is feeling
This is known as…?
Empathy
What is affective empathy?
Feeling what another person is feeling through recognition, being sensitive and having an appropriate affective response
Feeling what another person is feeling through recognition, being sensitive and having an appropriate affective response
This is known as…?
Affective empathy
Is affective empathy bottom-up or top-down processing?
Bottom-up processing
Affective empathy is parallel and reactive responses
True or False?
True
What is sympathy?
Having the awareness of present emotions and feeling and producing emotional responses, particularly concern, worry, pity or sorrow towards the other person
Having the awareness of present emotions and feeling and producing emotional responses, particularly concern, worry, pity or sorrow towards the other person
This is known as…?
Sympathy
What is cognitive empathy?
Recognizing and understanding that another person is feeling something different to what you are feeling
Recognizing and understanding that another person is feeling something different to what you are feeling
This is known as…?
Cognitive empathy
Cognitive empathy includes:
a. Theory of Mind and Parallel responses
b. Theory of Mind and Perspective Taking
c. Perspective Taking and Reactive responses
d. Perspective Taking and Parallel responses
e. Parallel responses and Reactive responses
b. Theory of Mind and Perspective Taking
Affective empathy includes:
a. Theory of Mind and Parallel responses
b. Theory of Mind and Perspective Taking
c. Perspective Taking and Reactive responses
d. Perspective Taking and Parallel responses
e. Parallel responses and Reactive responses
e. Parallel responses and Reactive responses
Is cognitive empathy bottom-up or top-down processing?
Top-down processing because you make a cognitive inference about a particular event
Define double dissociation
2 functions that are at least partially independent
In a double dissociation lesion study by Shamay-Tsoory, et al., what were the aims of the study?
List 2
1) To investigate the neuroanatomical substrates of cognitive and affective empathy
2) To investigate the relationship between the two systems
In a double dissociation lesion study by Shamay-Tsoory, et al., who were the participants in 4 of the participant groups?
Group 1 = 8 participants with inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) lesions
Group 2 = 11 participants with ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesions (vmPFC)
Group 3 = 11 participants with lesions outside the frontal lobes
Group 4 = 34 participants without brain lesions
In a double dissociation lesion study by Shamay-Tsoory, et al., what was the procedure?
All participants completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI)
In a double dissociation lesion study by Shamay-Tsoory, et al., what were the main findings regarding patients with VM lesions?
Patients with vmPFC lesions were impaired in cognitive empathy compared to the healthy controls (HC), patients with posterior lesions (PC) and patients with inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) lesions
In a double dissociation lesion study by Shamay-Tsoory, et al., what were the main findings regarding patients with IFG lesions?
Patients with inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) lesions were impaired in emotional empathy compared to the healthy controls (HC), vmPFC and the posterior lesions (PC) group
In a double dissociation lesion study by Shamay-Tsoory, et al., which patients were impaired in cognitive empathy?
vmPFC lesion patients
In a double dissociation lesion study by Shamay-Tsoory, et al., which patients were impaired in emotional empathy?
inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) lesion patients
In a double dissociation lesion study by Shamay-Tsoory, et al., which patients were significantly impaired in the cognitive index?
Patients with vmPFC lesions
In a double dissociation lesion study by Shamay-Tsoory, et al., which patients were significantly impaired in the emotional index?
Patients with IFG lesions
What is prosocial motivation?
The intention to respond compassionately to another person’s distress
The intention to respond compassionately to another person’s distress
This is known as…?
Prosocial motivation
How can we measure empathy?
Self-report – Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ)
How many items are there on the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ)?
27 items
What does the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ) contain?
Contains cognitive and affective components across 27 items
In the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ), how many items are there on cognitive ability?
6
In the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ), how many items are there on cognitive drive?
5
In the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ), how many items are there on affective ability?
5
In the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ), how many items are there on affective drive?
4
In the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ), how many items are there on affective reactivity?
7
In the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ), what does the cognitive ability component measure?
The skill, capacity or potential in perspective-taking and to adopt another’s point of view
In the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ), what does the cognitive drive component measure?
The motivated interest or tendency in perspective- taking and adopting another’s point of view
In the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ), what does the affective ability component measure?
The skill, capacity or potential in recognizing, being sensitive to and sharing others’ emotional experiences
In the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ), what does the affective drive component measure?
The motivated interest or tendency in recognizing, being sensitive to and sharing others’ emotional experiences
In the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ), what does the affective reactivity component measure?
The skills, capacity or potential in responding and reacting to another person’s emotional experiences
The skills, capacity or potential in responding and reacting to another person’s emotional experiences
This is measured by which component of the Empathy Components Questionnaire?
Affective reactivity
The motivated interest or tendency in recognizing, being sensitive to and sharing others’ emotional experiences
This is measured by which component of the Empathy Components Questionnaire?
Affective drive
The skill, capacity or potential in recognizing, being sensitive to and sharing others’ emotional experiences
This is measured by which component of the Empathy Components Questionnaire?
Affective ability
The motivated interest or tendency in perspective- taking and adopting another’s point of view
This is measured by which component of the Empathy Components Questionnaire?
Cognitive drive
The skill, capacity or potential in perspective-taking and adopting another’s point of view
This is measured by which component of the Empathy Components Questionnaire?
Cognitive ability
What were the results derived from the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ)?
There were significant sex differences for all components of affective empathy, small differences between sexes evident in cognitive empathy
Females scored higher on. 4/5 ECQ. components
What was the main limitation of the Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ)?
The study had used a small undergraduate student sample
True or False?
Early adolescence important period for the development of empathy
True
In a study by Van Der Graaff, et al. investigating differences in the development of empathy in males and females, what were the aims of the study?
To investigate boys’ and girls’ development of perspective taking and empathic concern longitudinally from ages 13 to 18 years and to examine associations with pubertal status
In a study by Van Der Graaff, et al. investigating differences in the development of empathy in males and females, who were the participants?
497 adolescents (214 girls) who participated in the Adolescent Development and Relationships (RADAR)
In a study by Van Der Graaff, et al. investigating differences in the development of empathy in males and females, what was the procedure?
Participants self-reported empathy at 6 timepoints between 13 and 18 years old
In a study by Van Der Graaff, et al. investigating differences in the development of empathy in males and females, what were the results on cognitive empathy?
1) Girls had higher cognitive empathy than boys throughout adolescence
2) Cognitive empathy in girls gradually increased as they age and cognitive empathy drops in early adolescence but quickly increases in late adolescence for boys
In a study by Van Der Graaff, et al. investigating differences in the development of empathy in males and females, what were the results on affective empathy?
1) Girls had significantly higher affective empathy than boys throughout adolescence
2) Affective empathy in girls remains relatively stable throughout adolescence and affective empathy drops in early adolescence but increases in late adolescence for boys
Who shows more perspective talking, boys or girls?
Girls
Who shows more empathic concern, boys or girls?
Girls
In a meta-analysis on neural correlates of empathy by Kogler, et al., what was the aim of the study?
To differentiate brain regions associated with affective and cognitive empathy
In a meta-analysis on neural correlates of empathy by Kogler, et al., what was the procedure of the study?
Inclusion of studies exploring affective empathy (19 exp; 428 participants) and cognitive empathy (28 exp; 765 participants)
In a meta-analysis on neural correlates of empathy by Kogler, et al., what was the procedure of the study?
Inclusion of studies exploring affective empathy (19 exp; 428 participants) and cognitive empathy (28 exp; 765 participants)
In a meta-analysis on neural correlates of empathy by Kogler, et al., which parts of the brain are most active when one experiences empathy? List all 4
- left IFG (inferior frontal gyrus)
- INS (insula)
- left dmPFG (dorsal medial frontal gyrus)
- bilateral PREC (precuneus)
In a meta-analysis on neural correlates of empathy by Kogler, et al., which parts of the brain are most active when one experiences cognitive empathy?
Stronger activation for cognitive empathy in the bilateral anterior dorso-medial prefrontal gyrus (dmPFG) and the left supramarginal gyrus (SMG)
In a meta-analysis on neural correlates of empathy by Kogler, et al., which parts of the brain are most active when one experiences affective empathy?
Affective empathy showed stronger convergence of a more posterior part of the left dorsomedial prefrontal gyrus (dmPFG)
Emotional contagion describes having fast automatic responses to…?
Emotional expressions in others
What is the precursor to affective empathy?
Emotional contagion
Exampthy consists of 2 main constructs. What are they?
- Affective empathy
- Cognitive empathy
Which regions of the brain are most active during affective empathy?
- Inferior frontal gyrus
- Posterior dorsal medial frontal gyrus
Which regions of the brain are most active during cognitive empathy?
- Supramarginal gyrus
- Anterior dorsal medial frontal gyrus
What did Darwin do to investigate whether emotional expressions are innate or not?
- Observing his own children
- Communicating with people in countries
around the world (cross-cultural research)
What did Ekman et al. conclude regarding whether emotional expressions are innate or not?
The expression of emotions is unlearned (innate; exists from birth or earlier) as they are the same in cultures that have not been exposed to each other
In a study by Matsumuto & Willingham investigating whether emotional expressions are innate or not, what was the aim of the study?
To compare the expressions of congenitally and noncongenitally blind athletes in the 2004 Paralympic Games with each other and with those produced by sighted athletes in the 2004 Olympic Games
In a study by Matsumuto & Willingham investigating whether emotional expressions are innate or not, what were the results?
Few differences in emotional expressions of congenitally blind, noncongenitally blind and sighted athletes in 2004 Paralympic Games
In a study by Matsumuto & Willingham investigating whether emotional expressions are innate or not, what facial expressions did congenitally and noncongenitally blind athletes make?
They both produced facial expressions associated with anger, contempt, disgust, sadness, surprise and multiple types of smiles and smile blends
The range and type of emotion signals displayed were comparable to those produced by sighted athletes
In a study by Matsumuto & Willingham investigating whether emotional expressions are innate or not, what was the final conclusion of the study?
Emotion expression is innate and does not
require learning by imitation
In a study by Sauter et al. investigating whether emotional expressions are innate or not, what was the main aim of the study?
To investigate whether emotional vocalisations communicate affective states across cultures
In a study by Sauter et al. investigating whether emotional expressions are innate or not, what was the procedure of the study?
There were 2 conditions
- Participants heard an emotional story. They played the Himba Ps non-verbal emotional vocalisations from European-English speakers
- Participants heard an emotional story. They played European English-speaking Ps nonverbal emotional vocalisations of emotion from the Himba speakers
European and Himba Ps were asked to match a selection of sounds with a given scenario
In a study by Sauter et al. investigating whether emotional expressions are innate or not, what were the results?
Groups were able to identify the ‘basic’ emotions of their own cultural group at a higher level
In a study by Sauter et al. investigating whether emotional expressions are innate or not, what were the general conclusions?
1) Negative emotions have vocalisations that can be recognised across cultures
2) Positive emotions are communicated with culture-specific signals
True or False?
Negative emotions are communicated with culture-specific signals
False
Negative emotions have vocalisations that can be recognised across cultures
True or False?
1) Positive emotions have vocalisations that can be recognised across cultures
False
Positive emotions are communicated with culture-specific signals
In another study by Jack et al. on whether emotional expressions are innate or learned, what was the main aim of the study?
To refute the universality hypothesis that claims all humans communicate sex basic internal emotional states with the same facial movements
In another study by Jack et al. on whether emotional expressions are innate or learned, what were the results?
A cross-cultural analysis of the timing of facial expressions showed cultural specificity where in the face and when facial expressions convey emotional intensity
In another study by Jack et al. on whether emotional expressions are innate or learned, what was the main conclusion?
1) Facial expressions of emotion are culture-specific
2) This rejects the hypothesis that human emotion is universally represented by the same set of six distinct facial expression signals
What are the 2 pieces of evidence for innate emotional expressions?
1) Facial expressions (cross-cultural studies and studies with visually impaired people)
2) Vocal emotions (cross-cultural studies)
What is the evidence against innate emotional expressions?
Differences in the emotional intensity between East Asians and Western cultures
In a study by Adophs et al., investigating the role of imitation in emotion, what was the main aim of the study?
To correlate the location of lesions in 108 people with the ability to perceive emotion in the face
In a study by Adophs et al., investigating the role of imitation in emotion, what were the results of the study?
1) People who were the poorest at facial emotion recognition had damage to the right somatosensory cortex
2) People with somatosensory impairments also had impairments in emotion recognition
People who were the poorest at facial emotion recognition had damage to the …?
Right somatosensory cortex
People with somatosensory impairments also had impairments in …?
Emotion recognition
People had damage to the right somatosensory cortex had…?
The poorest at facial emotion recognition
Other than damage to the right somatosensory cortex, what other factor affects emotion recognition?
Somatosensory impairments
In a study by Adophs et al., investigating the role of imitation in emotion, what was the main conclusion?
When we see a facial expression of emotion, we unconsciously imagine ourselves making that expression
What is a simulationist hypothesis?
Emotion recognition involves the simulation of emotion that we are viewing
Emotion recognition involves the simulation of emotion that we are viewing
This is known as…?
Simulationist Hypothesis
In a study based on the simulationist hypothesis, what did Adophs et al. aim to investigate in their study?
To test whether simulation of the somatic response associated with the perceived expression helps with emotion recognition
In a study based on the simulationist hypothesis, what was the procedure in Adophs et al.’s study?
Participants to performed an expression-matching task while the repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was targeted at the face or finger region of the retrosplenial cortex (rSC)
In a study based on the simulationist hypothesis, what were the results of Adophs et al.’s study?
1) Mean accuracy scores revealed a spatially specific effect limited to the face region of rSC
2) rTMS at the face area reduced accuracy to 79.00% compared with an accuracy of 83.25% at the finger area.
In a study based on the simulationist hypothesis, what was the main conclusion of Adophs et al.’s study?
rTMS targeted at the face region of rSC impaired expression discrimination in comparison to rTMS targeted at the finger region and the vertex
People tend to use ……. to assist emotion recognition
Imitation
If the activity in the face perception region of the somatosensory cortex is disturbed, this impairs ….?
Emotion expression matching
If the activity in the face perception region of the ……… is disturbed, this impairs emotion expression matching
Somatosensory cortex
If the activity in the …….. region of the somatosensory cortex is disturbed, this impairs emotion expression matching
Face perception
What does a meta-analysis on emotion recognition in the brain aim to investigate? List 2 aims
1) To identify brain activity and connectivity profiles in discrete and dimensional emotions
2) To explore the asymmetry of the brain for facial expressions recognition
What was the main conclusion of the meta-analysis on emotion recognition in the brain in relation to the engagement of the amygdala?
Consistent engagement of the amygdala and its connectivity with distributed networks across discrete and dimensional emotions
What was the main conclusion of the meta-analysis on emotion recognition in the brain in relation to the hemisphere dominance of the amygdala?
The left-hemisphere dominance of the amygdala and anterior insula across emotions, but category-specific lateralization of the vmPFC
What is Electroencephalography (EEG)?
High temporal resolution; a good technique to help understand facial processing, but poor spatial resolution
High temporal resolution; a good technique to help understand facial processing, but poor spatial resolution
This is known as…?
Electroencephalography (EEG)
What regions of the brain is Electroencephalography (EEG) interested in?
- Fusiform Face Area
- Occipital Face Area for facial expression processing (PO8, PO7)
What do we use to look at sex differences in emotion processing by understanding facial processing?
Electroencephalography (EEG)
What does poor spatial resolution mean?
Poor at measuring a much larger area of the brain/brain region
How is N170 measured?
Using 2 electrodes on either side of the brain (PO8 and PO7)
In a meta-analysis by Proverbio, investigating sex differences in emotion processing, what was the aim of the analysis?
Establish whether there are sex differences in the laterality of face processing
In a meta-analysis by Proverbio, investigating sex differences in emotion processing, what were the 3 main conclusions of the analysis?
1) There is a presence of a sex difference in the way the two cerebral hemispheres process facial information
2) Males have right-sided asymmetry of the bioelectrical activity when processing facial information
3) Females have bilateral or left-sided activity when processing facial information
In a study by Chronaki et al., investigating developmental differences in emotion recognition, what was the main aim of the study?
Comparing facial and vocal emotion recognition and processing biases in 88 4- to 11-year-olds and 21 adults
In a study by Chronaki et al., investigating developmental differences in emotion recognition, what were the 2 main conclusions of the study?
1) Developmental trajectories of emotion processing differ as a function of emotion type and stimulus modality
2) Vocal emotion processing showed a more protracted developmental trajectory, compared to facial emotion processing
True or False?
Emotion recognition worsens with age
False
Emotion recognition improves with age
At what age do adolescents reach an adult level of emotion recognition?
Age 11
Which of these has delayed development compared to the other?
a. Vocal emotion processing/recognition
b. Visual or Facial emotion processing/recognition
a. Vocal emotion processing/recognition
True or False?
The amygdala has a prominent role in basic and complex emotion recognition
True
There are sex differences in the laterality of the temporal response to face processing in the …… and ………. areas
Fusiform face and Occipital face
Developmental trajectories of emotion processing differ depending on ….?
- The type of emotional expression
- The modality (visual or vocal)
In a study by Timmerman et al., investigating oxytocin influences on emotion recognition, what was the main aim of the study?
To explore whether oxytocin administration influenced facial emotion recognition in people with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) or issues with anger
In a study by Timmerman et al., investigating oxytocin influences on emotion recognition, what were the 2 main conclusions of the study?
1) There was an improvement in the recognition of fearful and happy facial expressions by oxytocin in young adults with ASPD
2) The increased recognition of facial fear is of high importance since the correct perception of distress signals in others is thought to inhibit aggression
In a study by Lausen et al., investigating testosterone and cortisol influence emotion recognition, what was the main aim of the study?
To examine whether males’ response accuracy is influenced by the modality of stimulus presentation
In a study by Lausen et al., investigating testosterone and cortisol influence emotion recognition, what was the procedure of the study?
282 males who categorized voice, face and voice- face stimuli for nonverbal emotional content
In a study by Lausen et al., investigating testosterone and cortisol influence emotion recognition, what were the results of the study in terms of modality and emotion recognition accuracy?
Emotion recognition accuracy was significantly higher in the audio- visual than in the auditory or visual modality
Emotion recognition accuracy was significantly higher in the ……. modality than in the ……… modality
Audio-visual than in the Auditory or Visual
In a study by Lausen et al., investigating testosterone and cortisol influence emotion recognition, what were the results of the study in terms of the association between testosterone and emotion recognition accuracy?
There was a positive association between testosterone and recognition accuracy as well as between cortisol and reaction time
There was a (negative/positive) association between testosterone and recognition accuracy as well as between cortisol and reaction time
Positive
There was a positive association between testosterone and recognition accuracy as well as between …. and……
Cortisol and reaction time
In a study by Lausen et al., investigating testosterone and cortisol influence emotion recognition, what were the results of the study in terms of the overall effect size of testosterone with emotion recognition accuracy and reaction time?
The overall effect size of testosterone by cortisol interaction with recognition accuracy and reaction time was significant but small
The overall effect size of testosterone by cortisol interaction with recognition accuracy and reaction time was ….?
Significant but small
In a study by Lausen et al., investigating testosterone and cortisol influence emotion recognition, what were the 2 conclusions of the study?
1) Combining audio-visual content enhances recognition accuracy
2) The interaction of testosterone and cortisol relates to males’ accuracy and response times in emotion recognition tasks
What 2 hormones in males help to improve response times in emotion recognition and recognition accuracy?
Cortisol and Testosterone
Which 3 hormones influence emotion recognition abilities?
- Oxytocin
- Cortisol
- Testosterone
What are the 3 symptoms of Alexithymia?
1) Externally oriented cognitive style
2) Difficulty identifying feelings
3) Difficulty describing feelings
Difficulties in emotion interpretation or expression (problems with feeling emotions) are known as…?
Alexithymia
Is Alexithymia a stable or unstable psychological trait across the lifespan?
Stable
The dimension of Alexithymia ranges from ….. in the population
Low- to-High
Alexithymia is associated with high co-occurring ….?
Depression and anxiety
In a study by Di Tella et al., investigating Alexithymia’s impact on emotion recognition, what was the main aim of the study?
To investigate whether people with alexithymia have diminished emotion-related social-cognitive competencies, beyond the effect of anxiety/depressive symptoms
What is social cognition?
The set of abilities that allows one to navigate one’s social environment
The set of abilities that allows one to navigate one’s social environment
This is known as…?
Social cognition
In a study by Di Tella et al., investigating Alexithymia’s impact on emotion recognition, what was the procedure of the study?
206 participants completed four components of social cognition as well as a measure of alexithymia
In a study by Di Tella et al., investigating Alexithymia’s impact on emotion recognition, 206 participants completed four components of social cognition as well as a measure of alexithymia.
What were the 4 components?
- Recognition of others’ emotions
- Representation of others’ affective and cognitive mental states
- Empathy
- Regulation of one’s own feelings
In a study by Di Tella et al., investigating Alexithymia’s impact on emotion recognition, what were the results of the study in terms of what Alexithymia predicts?
Alexithymia significantly predicted emotion recognition, empathy, and emotional regulation but not the representation of others’ affective and cognitive mental states
In a study by Di Tella et al., investigating Alexithymia’s impact on emotion recognition, what were the 2 main conclusions of the study?
1) The data seem to support the idea that recognising the emotions and feelings of other people relies on the ability to identify and recognise correctly one’s own feelings
2) Alexithymia seems to play an intervening role in social cognitive functioning
Recognising the emotions and feelings of other people relies on the ability to ….?
Identify and recognise correctly one’s own feelings
Alexithymia seems to play an intervening role in ….?
Social cognitive functioning
People with Alexithymia have difficulties with ….?
Identifying and describing their feelings
Alexithymic traits have a significant impact on a person’s …? List 3
1) Emotion regulation
2) Emotion recognition
3) Empathy abilities
The vmPFC plays an important role in emotional regulation and inhibition of emotional responses (extinction)
True or False?
True
What is extinction?
The inhibition of emotional responses
The inhibition of emotional responses is known as…?
Extinction
The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) includes which 2 cortices?
1) Medial orbitofrontal cortex
2) Subgenual anterior cingulate cortex
1) Medial orbitofrontal cortex
2) Subgenual anterior cingulate cortex
These cortices are part of the…?
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC)
What information do inputs to the vmPFC provide?
Provide information about what is going on in the environment and what is being planned in the rest of the frontal lobe
What behaviours and physiological responses are affected by the outputs from the vmPFC?
A variety of behaviours and physiological responses, including emotional responses organised by the amygdala
Emotional responses organised by the amygdala are affected by…?
Outputs from the vmPFC
What is the purpose of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex input? List 2 purposes
1) Provide information about what is happening in the environment
2) What plans are being made by the rest of the
frontal lobes
What is the purpose of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex output? List 1 purpose
Affects a variety of behaviours and physiological responses, including emotional responses organised by the amygdala
Affects a variety of behaviours and physiological responses, including emotional responses organised by the amygdala
Does this apply to the input or output of the vmPFC?
Output
Provides information about what is happening in the environment and what plans are being made by the rest of the frontal lobes
Does this apply to the input or output of the vmPFC?
Input
What are the 5 areas that fall under the ventromedial prefrontal cortex input region?
- Thalamus
- Temporal cortex
- Ventral tegmental area
- Olfactory system
- Amygdala
What are the 5 areas that fall under the ventromedial prefrontal cortex output region?
- Cingulate cortex
- Hippocampal formation
- Temporal cortex
- Lateral hypothalamus
- Amygdala
Damage to the vmPFC causes serious impairments of behavioural control and decision-making
Name a famous patient who fell under this category of lesion
Phineas Gage
What did the lesion study of Phineas Gage indicate about the effects of damage to the left vmPFC?
Damage to the left vmPFC was strongly associated with emotional/social personality changes (unable to make good judgements)
Damage to the left vmPFC was strongly associated with ….?
Emotional/social personality changes (unable to make good judgements)
What are the 2 types of moral decision-making?
1) Impersonal moral dilemma
2) Personal moral dilemma
What is Impersonal moral dilemma?
When the individual is only indirectly involved in the process that results in the harm
When the individual is only indirectly involved in the process that results in the harm
This is known as…?
Impersonal moral dilemma
What is a Personal moral dilemma?
When the individual is directly involved in the production of the harm.
When the individual is directly involved in the production of the harm.
This is known as…?
Personal moral dilemma
A train is going at high speed towards a junction/two pathways.
On one of the pathways, only one person is tied to the track. On the other pathway, 4 people are tied to the tracks
You are able to help by flipping the switch to allow the train to change tracks
You decide to sacrifice the one person tied to the track and save four people
Which moral dilemma does this relate to?
Impersonal moral dilemma
A train is going at high speed.
On the pathway, four people are tied to the tracks. You and one other individual are on a bridge above the train tracks.
You are able to help save the 4 people by pushing the individual who is with you off the bridge to stop the train.
You decide to sacrifice one person by pushing them off the bridge and save four people
Which moral dilemma does this relate to?
Personal moral dilemma
What makes something a dilemma rather than a rational decision-making/aspect?
Emotional aspects of the scenario and decision making
What does neuroimaging evidence show in terms of which part of the brain is activated when solving moral problems?
Moral problems activate vmPFC, and non-emotional decisions don’t
True or False?
Moral problems and non emotional decisons activate vmPFC
False
Moral problems activate vmPFC, and non-emotional decisions don’t
Are people with vmPFC damage or people without vmPFC damage more likely to make logical/utilitarian decisions in personal moral dilemmas?
People with vmPFC damage
In a study by Koenigs et al., investigating double dissociation in moral brain network, what was the research question of the study?
How do patterns of neural activation in the moral network differ when processing easy or difficult moral challenges?
In a study by Koenigs et al., investigating double dissociation in moral brain network, who were the participants in the study?
38 adults (22 females, mean age 24.6 years)
In a study by Koenigs et al., investigating double dissociation in moral brain network, what was the procedure of the study?
Brain scan during solving of difficult and easy moral scenarios
Brain scan during difficult and easy non-moral scenarios
In a study by Koenigs et al., investigating double dissociation in moral brain network, what were the 2 main results of the study?
1) Difficult moral dilemmas engaged the bilateral temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
2) Easy moral dilemmas engaged the vmPFC
When the moral network is activated, which 4 areas of the brain become active?
1) Bilateral temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
2) vmPFC
3) Dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC)
4) Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC)
Difficult moral dilemmas engaged the…?
a. bilateral temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
b. vmPFC
a. bilateral temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
Easy moral dilemmas engaged the…?
a. bilateral temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
b. vmPFC
b. vmPFC
In a study by Koenigs et al., investigating double dissociation in moral brain network, what was the general conclusion of the study?
1) There is a degree of functional dissociation between the TPJ and vmPFC for moral decision-making
2) This suggests there is a flexible use of the moral network during moral decision making
In a study by Fong et al., investigating dementia and moral dilemmas, what was the aim of the study?
To investigate verbal responses and emotional arousal to moral dilemmas during the process of moral decision- making in
In a study by Fong et al., investigating dementia and moral dilemmas, who were the participants in the study?
Group 1 = 10 patients with the behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia bvFTD
Group 2 = 11 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
Group 3 = 9 people without dementia (HC)
In a study by Fong et al., investigating dementia and moral dilemmas, what was the procedure of the study?
Participants were presented with computerized versions of moral dilemmas that probed the necessity for harmful action of either:
- An impersonal nature (pull switch)
- A personal nature (push a man off footbridge)
According to the findings by Fong et al., in a study investigating dementia and moral dilemmas, Ps with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia bvFTD were (more/less) likely to push a man in order to stop a trolley from killing five other people, than Ps with Alzheimer’s and Ps without dementia
The behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia bvFTD participants were more willing to push a man to stop a trolley from killing five other people than Ps with Alzheimer’s and Ps without dementia
True or False?
The behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia bvFTD participants were less willing to push a man to stop a trolley from killing five other people than Ps with Alzheimer’s and Ps without dementia
False
The behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia bvFTD participants were more willing to push a man to stop a trolley from killing five other people than Ps with Alzheimer’s and Ps without dementia
Did the behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia bvFTD participants show more positive or negative emotional responses when responding to moral dilemmas?
More positive
When responding to moral dilemmas, how did Alzheimer’s and no dementia groups respond?
They expressed distress and an unwillingness to cause direct harm to another person
When responding to moral dilemmas, how did the behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia bvFTD group respond?
The bvFTD participants showed more positive emotional responses
How did the behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia bvFTD group respond when they had to commit harmful actions that involve direct personal interaction?
They showed:
1) Decreased conflict (measured by time to respond)
2) Decreased emotional arousal (measured by SCRs)
True or False?
The behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia bvFTD group showed increased conflict and emotional arousal at the prospect of committing harmful actions that involve direct personal interaction
False
The behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia bvFTD group showed decreased conflict and emotional arousal at the prospect of committing harmful actions that involve direct personal interaction
In a study by Fong et al., investigating dementia and moral dilemmas, what was the general conclusion of the study in regards to bvFTD patients and their emotional process that guide moral behaviour?
1) bvFTD patients have dysfunction of the emotional processes that guide moral behaviour
2) Suggesting that they quickly and without hesitation resort to a “morality” that values the saving of more lives.
bvFTD patients have dysfunction of the emotional processes that guide moral behaviour
What does this suggest?
bvFTD patients will quickly and without hesitation resort to a “morality” that values the saving of more lives
True or False?
bvFTD patients will quickly and without hesitation resort to a “morality” that values the saving of more lives
True
Damage to the vmPFC causes serious impairments of …. and …?
Behavioural control and decision making
True or False?
Damage to the vmPFC leads to more emotional and morally-driven decision-making for nonmoral, impersonal moral and personal moral dilemmas
False
Damage to the vmPFC leads to more logical or utilitarian decision-making for nonmoral, impersonal moral and personal moral dilemmas
The TPJ is involved in …?
Difficult moral decision making
The vmPFC is involved in…?
Easy moral decision making
People with bvFTD who have damage to the frontal lobes make more (emotional/utilitarian) decisions than people with AD or people without dementia
Utilitarian
People with bvFTD have damage to the…?
Frontal lobes
Which of these Ps are more likely to make utilitarian decisions?
a. bvFTD participants
b. Alzheimer’s participants
c. Participants without dementia
a. bvFTD participants
