Social Neuroscience Flashcards
Amygdala
Detects stimuli in our environment, emotional responses
mPFC (medial prefrontal cortex)
In middle of frontal lobe, active when people think about themselves
fMRI
Measures the changes in oxygenation of blood to the brain
lesion
Damage or tissue abnormality
Social categorization
Mentally classifying someone as belonging in a group
Stereotypes
Negative beliefs we associate with groups
EEG
measures electrical activity in the brain
Automatic process
Happens with little conscious awareness or control
Mentalizing
Make an inference about someone’s internal feelings
STS
Area critical for emotional processing
TPJ (temporoparietal junction)
Area involved in thinking about the beliefs of others
Functional neuroanatomy
Tells us which brain areas are involved with social behavior
Stress
Threat or challenge to our well-being
sympathetic nervous system
Branch of autonomic nervous system that controls internal organs
fight or flight response
an emotional and physiological reaction to a perceived threat
Hormones
Chemicals released by cells in the brain or body that affect cells in other areas
HPA axis
hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal cortex
Cortisol
stress hormone released by the adrenal cortex
Neuroendocrinology
Study of how the brain and hormones act to coordinate the physiology of the body
Outgroup
People in a different social group
Ingroup
People in the same social group
Social support
Physiological or physical comfort provided by family, friends, and others
