Social Cognition and Its Anatomy

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to Lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson
Download our mobile app to listen on the go
Get App

Questions and Answers

What is the primary function associated with the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in the context of the default network?

  • Regulating emotional responses to social situations
  • Evaluating self-referential information (correct)
  • Processing visual and auditory inputs
  • Coordinating motor responses to external stimuli

Which statement about the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is most accurate?

  • It is mainly active during visual perception tasks.
  • It helps differentiate between positive and negative self-referential outcomes. (correct)
  • It is responsible for motor control and coordination.
  • It is primarily involved in processing sensory stimuli.

How do patients with orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) lesions typically behave in social situations?

  • They display unrealistic positive views of themselves. (correct)
  • They engage in appropriate social behaviors based on context.
  • They prefer solitude over social interactions.
  • They tend to be overly critical of their social performance.

In the context of self-judgment, what occurs when individuals evaluate their performance from a third-person perspective?

<p>They are likely to adjust their judgments to be more accurate. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which hypothesis explains the increased activity of the resting state brain network while at rest?

<p>Sentinel hypothesis (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which describes the activation of the superior temporal sulcus (STS) during eye gaze observation tasks?

<p>Active during both congruent and incongruent eye gazes. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a key finding regarding the rTPJ in individuals with ASD during mental judgment tasks?

<p>It displayed less responsiveness than in typical individuals. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) in social cognition?

<p>It is involved in processing actions related to theory of mind. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did the mirror neuron study reveal about typical children compared to ASD children?

<p>ASD children activated neurons only when the final action was performed. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the default network function in individuals with ASD during self-referential tasks?

<p>It is always off, leading to indistinguishable resting and active state brain functions. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the mPFC in social interactions according to the content?

<p>It is critical for judgment and perception of others. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which brain area is notably activated when utilizing theory of mind to understand others' intentions?

<p>Temporoparietal Junction (TPJ) (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the impact of lesions to the OFC in patients such as Phineas Gage?

<p>Deterioration of personality, leading to aggressive behavior. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the False Belief Task, what does a failure to understand another's perspective indicate?

<p>Lack of Theory of Mind (ToM). (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the deactivation of the mPFC indicate during judgment tasks?

<p>Focus on ordering tasks rather than impression formation. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What brain region is primarily associated with self-referential processing?

<p>Medial frontal cortex (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best describes the self-reference effect?

<p>We recall self-related traits more vividly than those of others. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does less deactivation in the medial prefrontal cortex indicate during self-referential tasks?

<p>Greater importance of self-related information processing (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the case of patient DB illustrate regarding self-knowledge?

<p>Self-knowledge can exist independently of semantic knowledge. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The resting state network is primarily active during what kind of mental processes?

<p>Introspection and daydreaming (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Self-reference effect

The tendency to remember information better when it's related to us, because we process it in a deeper way.

Medial prefrontal cortex (mFC)

A part of the brain that shows less activity when you're thinking about yourself. It's involved in processing information that's self-related.

Personal agency

The ability to have control over our own actions and movements.

Resting state network

This brain network is active when we're not focused on the external world, and is involved in daydreaming and introspection.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Self-knowledge

The ability to know and understand your own personality traits, memories, and other personal information.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Resting State Brain Network

A brain network that is more active when we are at rest, engaged in activities like daydreaming or idling, and thought to be involved in processing self-referential information.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Orbitofrontal Cortex (OFC)

The part of the brain that plays a crucial role in understanding and regulating social behavior, including judging our social performance and recognizing social cues. It is also important for recognizing positive and negative self-relevant information.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Utilization Behavior

A condition that affects the ability to judge oneself and recognize social cues. People with this condition may overestimate their social performance and engage in inappropriate behavior.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Self-Referential Processing

The ability to distinguish between positive and negative self-relevant information. This is linked to the activity of certain brain regions like the anterior cingulate cortex.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Theory of Mind

The ability to understand and infer the mental states of others, including their thoughts, beliefs, and intentions.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Temporo-Parietal Junction (TPJ)

Brain region involved in processing mental states and social cues, particularly eye gaze.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Superior Temporal Sulcus (STS)

A part of the TPJ involved in detecting when someone is looking at something.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Congruent Eye Gaze

When a person looks at the same direction as a moving object, we can infer they are tracking it. The STS is activated.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Incongruent Eye Gaze

When a person looks in a different direction than a moving object, we can't infer they are tracking it. The STS is less active.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Theory of mind (ToM)

The ability to understand and predict the thoughts, beliefs, and intentions of other people. It is fundamental to social interaction and involves taking the perspective of another person.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Sally-Anne False Belief Task

A scenario designed to test someone's theory of mind abilities. It involves a false belief about the location of an object, which requires participants to understand that someone else might have a different perspective.

Signup and view all the flashcards

False photograph experiment

An experiment where participants were shown photos of apples and then asked if they believed the apple was still on the tree after being blown off by the wind. This task tests whether participants understand that a photograph cannot capture the dynamic nature of the real world.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Study Notes

Social Cognition

  • Social cognition involves processing information about oneself and others.
  • This process is not uniform: individual and cultural differences affect it.
  • Emotional factors play a significant role in social cognition.

Anatomical Structures of Social Cognition

  • Prefrontal Cortex (PFC):
    • Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dIPFC)
    • Ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vIPFC)
    • Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC):
      • Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC)
    • Posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)
    • Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)
  • Automatic Nervous System (ANS)
  • Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis
  • Superior Temporal Sulcus (STS)
  • Fusiform Face Area (FFA)
  • Temporoparietal Junction (TPJ)
  • Medial Parietal Cortex

Social Isolation

  • Socially isolating rats exhibits changes in PFC function, synaptic plasticity, and increased aggression in adulthood.
  • Lack of social play in rats during a specific developmental period (21-42 days postnatal) leads to impaired decision-making abilities in adulthood.

Self-Reference Effect

  • Remembering information related to oneself is more efficient than remembering information about others.
  • Medial frontal cortex is highly involved in processing self-referential information.

Theory of Mind

  • The ability to understand the mental states of others.
  • This process involves the TPJ (temporal parietal junction).
  • Failure to engage in this task is associated with difficulties in social context.

Judging the Self

  • Positive self-judgments involve less activity in the ventral anterior cingulate cortex (VACC).
  • Negative self-judgments activate the VACC
  • VACC impairment is found in depressed patients, suggesting a link between emotional regulation and this brain region.

OFC (Orbitofrontal Cortex)

  • The OFC is involved in social emotion and knowledge.
  • Damage to the OFC can result in "utilization behavior" (inappropriate social behaviours).
  • Patients struggle to judge the behaviours of others, struggle with theory of mind tasks, and struggle with self-perception.

Prefrontal and OFC Damage

  • Damage to these areas impacts the ability to plan for the future, control impulses, and display pro-social behaviours.

Perception of Others

  • The mPFC (medial prefrontal cortex) shows greater deactivation when thinking about others than when making inferences about oneself.
  • There are different brain areas involved in judging self and judging others, leading to distinct activation patterns.

Empathy and Pain of Others

  • Brain activity related to perceiving one's own pain and another's pain is often similar.
  • A shared pain and empathy network exist, suggesting an overlap in how the brain processes both situations.
  • Empathy is linked to the activation of mirror neurons in the brain and mirror neuron activity correlates with experience of emotions.
  • When exposed to expressions of pain from others or when empathizing, individuals often activate similar regions as when experiencing personal pain.

Empathy and Perceived Pain

  • The anterior insula and the nucleus accumbens are associated with experiencing empathy and the desire for revenge.

Default Mode Network

  • The default mode network plays a significant role in self-referential processing and social cognition.
  • Orbitofrontal cortex is involved in the default mode network and is essential for behaving within social norms.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Quiz Team

Related Documents

Social Cognition (CN9) - PDF

More Like This

Understanding Theory of Mind in Children
30 questions
Social Cognition and Brain Wiring
46 questions
Social Cognitive Brain Development in Adolescence
29 questions
Adolescent Brain Development
20 questions
Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Browser