The social and emotional brain Flashcards
A state associated with stimuli that are rewarding (that one works to obtain) or punishing (that one works to avoid). These stimuli often have an inherent survival value
Emotion
The process of inferring or attributing mental states to others
Mentalizing
The process of sharing the emotions or mental states of others
Mirroring
An emotional state that is extended over time
Mood
External motor outcomes in the face and body associated with emotional states
Expression
The self-perception of bodily changes produces emotional experience (ex: one is sad because one cries)
James-Lange theory
Theory centered on the hypothalamus’ role in emotions in which bodily responses occur after the emotion itself
Cannon-Bard theory
A limbic-based circuit that was once thought to constitute a largely undifferentiated “emotional” brain
Papez circuit
Different categories of emotions assumed to be independent of culture and with their own biological basis (in terms of evolution and neural substrate)
Basic emotions
Emotions that are related to the behavior of oneself (in relation to others) or the behavior of others (in relation to oneself or others)
Moral emotions
Part of the limbic system, implicated in learning the emotional value of stimuli (ex: in fear conditioning)
Amygdala
In monkeys after bilateral amygdala and temporal lesions, an unusual tameness and emotional blunting; a tendency to examine objects with the mouth; and dietary changes
Kluver-Bucy syndrome
Changes in electrical conductivity on a person’s skin, triggered by certain stimuli (ex: emotional or familiar stimuli)
Skin conductance response (SCR)
A region of cortex buried beneath the temporal lobes; involved in body perception and contains the primary gustatory cortex; responds to disgust
Insula
A sensory system for monitoring the internal state of the body (ex: heart rate)
Interoception
Learning that a previously rewarded stimulus is no longer rewarded
Extinction learning
Part of the basal ganglia that includes the nucleus accumbens; involved in a ‘limbic circuit’ connecting the orbitofrontal cortex, basal ganglia and thalamus
Ventral striatum
Other members of the same species
Conspecific
The theory that we come
to understand others
(their emotions, actions,
mental states) by
vicariously producing their
current state in ourselves
Simulation theory
The emotional response
of another person may
lead to avoidance or
interaction with a previously
neutral stimulus
Social referencing
People report that their
acquaintances (spouse,
family, friends and so on)
have been replaced by
“body doubles”
Capgras syndrome
The ability to represent
the mental states of
others (e.g., their beliefs,
desires, intentions)
Theory of mind
The ability to appreciate
others’ points of view
and share their experiences
Empathy
Neural circuits or regions
that disregard the distinction
between self and
other
Mirror systems
The presence of markedly abnormal or impaired development in social
interaction and communication, and a markedly restricted repertoire of
activities and interests
Autism
A variant of autism linked
to normal to high intelligence
Asperger syndrome
A belief that differs from
one’s own belief and
that differs from the true
state of the world
False belief
An account of autism in
which the social difficulties are considered as
a consequence of mirror-system dysfunction
Broken-mirror theory
EEG oscillations at 8–13Hz
over the sensorimotor
cortex that are greatest
when participants are
at rest
Mu oscillations
