Social cognition Flashcards
describe a typical self reference test
Asked to produce words in relation to the self, and in relation to someone else e.g. the president
Then asked which of the trait words they can remember
which brain area a re involved in self reference and how do we know
medial prefrontal cortex
shows less deactivation during self referential tasks than other areas
what do self reference tests show us
how we process and store information about ourselves in comparison to others
what is the resting state network
active when people are at rest, daydreaming and idling
which brain areas make up the resting state network
posterior lateral cortices
ventral medial cortex
posterior medial cortex
how do we know about the brain areas associated with the resting state network
tend to have high levels of activity when not engaged in any particular task
deactivate from resting level of activity when asked to focus on a particular task
why is the resting state network associated with self reference
during self referential processing, the resting state network does not deactivate (other areas tend to)
how do measure self judgment
ppts asked to rate self-descriptiveness of personality traits
also asked to associate the traits as positive or negative
what is found about rating traits
Less activation in the anterior cingulate was associated when rating positive personality traits in comparison to negative
what brain region is associated with utilisation behaviour
the orbitofrontal cortex
how may lesions in the orbitofrontal cortex be displayed
patients may lack insight into the appropriate behaviour at the right moment
how is self insight measured in orbitofrontal cortex damage patients
asked to perform task and make conversation with an experimenter
then asked to rate conversation before and after seeing video
what are the results of the self insight tasks
Patients with orbitofrontal cortex lesions tended to be more embarrassed after viewing their social mistakes
what happened to Phineas Gage
prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex damage as a result of metal rod through head
what were the results of phineas Gage’s brain damage
became inconsiderate, anti-social and unable to plan his own future
what was a pre frontal lobotomy for
performed to attempt to cure psychiatric patients
what were the outcomes of pre frontal lobotomies
generally catastrophic and irreversible, and usually did not cure patient
which brain area has been associated with perception of other people
medial prefrontal cortex
how was perception of other people studied (study breakdown)
-ppts viewed series of pictures that paired faces with personality statements
-instructed to either make an inference about personality or pay attention to order of the statements
-medial prefrontal cortex activity associated with forming impressions
what is theory of mind
How we understand how other people think, and our perception of their thoughts
describe the Sally Anne false belief task
Task is used with children to determine if they can interpret what sally is thinking about the location of a hidden marble
As sally does not see Anne move the marble, she should check the location that she left it in
which brain area is associated with theory of mind processing
the temporo-parietal junction
when is the temporo-parietal junction active
-judging other people’s intentions from their actions
-inferring others plans or actions
how do we study other people’s projected thoughts
-complete false belief tasks about either people or photos
-specific brain region reacts more strongly to false beliefs over photos
this brain region can be assessed for differential activity
-
how are non verbal cues measured
ppts viewed virtual reality character who moved eye gaze either in a congruent manner or incongruent to a checkerboard
what brain areas was found to track the intentions of eye movements
the superior temporal sulcus
how was simulation theory and mirror neurons assessed
-computer morphing methods used to generate a range of disgusted methods
-as expressions of disgust became more intense, the BOLD response in the insula increased
how was empathy of pain assessed
-ppts watched partner receive electric shocks through electrodes and also received
-brain activity was very similar for a person’s own pain and watching their partner in pain
how was lust for revenge measured
variant of prisoner’s dilemma
-can transfer points to another player at beginning, knowing these points can be reciprocated
-first player plays with fair and unfair players, and then placed inside scanner where hands could be painfully stimulated
which brain areas are associated with empathetic responses
anterior insula
what brain area was associated with revenge (and why)
the nucleus accumbens - a reward centre (watching others suffer)
