Social Neuroscience Flashcards
What brain structure(s) are active when “at rest” or self-reflecting?
The default mode network
describe what meta cognition is
taking the self and making it subject of thoughts; to experience yourself experiencing; to plan for the future and your place in it
Describe the sentinel hypothesis of the DMN
The DMN is not inward attention, but diffuse and unfocused attention. When there is no task at hand, you remain in a receptive “vigilant” state
Which data suggest that the MPFC is for inward attention
the MPFC is deactivated for attention directed to others (fMRI) and not deactivated for self directed attention (Also photo viewing study: photos taken by the person inhibits deactivation of MPFC, deactivated for others’ photos)
The MPFC is thought to house which aspects of self reflection? What about Ventral Anterior Cingulate? VMPFC?
MPFC = cognitive aspects and self relevancy to words VAC = positive/emotional traits, esp when the trait describes yourself VMPFC = time travel, novel scenario selection.
why is greater VMPFC activity associated with greater ability to delay gratification? Like the marshmallow exp with kids
You can better visualize yourself in the future and the gratification then. Kids suck at this, probably because the PFC is the last to develop.
Understanding social rules, judging appropriateness of behavior and making moral judgements are associated with what area?
OFC
What is being evaluated with a Theory of Mind test? (A Sally-Anne test)
Theory of Mind, or the ability to put oneself into someone else’s shoes.
Theory of mind is also known as the automatic process of
mental state attribution
What brain region becomes active when considering the thoughts of others (but not when considering other aspects)
the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ)
In a TMS experiment, what happens when interrupting function of the rTPJ?
the individual is unable to consider the thoughts of others. During a moral judgement task, people with lesions or TMS are more likely to say that attempted murder is ok, because the outcome is fine and cannot consider the intent of others.
ASD is characterized by
repetitive behaviors, challenges with social skills, nonverbal communication, a focus on mouths/bodies (instead of eyes)
A decreased amount of activity in these areas often is characteristic of autism
rTPJ, Superior Temporal Sulcus (STS) - emotional processing of faces, and overall DMN
The large amount of activity observed around 200 ms after viewing a face is referred to as ___ and may be used for discrimination
the N170 or Vertex Positive Potential (VPP)
The biased behavior following viewing faces of another race may be attenuated by
showing faces for longer, when faces are familiar, or when one attends to features other than race (length of time viewed)
