Articles tagged with Social Neuroscience
Studies in mice and marmosets reveal mechanisms underlying social learning and behavior, including neural circuits controlling vocalizations and aggression. The findings provide a clearer picture of the brain's social processing, paving the way for potential treatments for disorders such as autism spectrum disorder.
The practice of solitary confinement has been shown to alter brain structures and behaviors, increasing the risk of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. As social isolation becomes a growing problem in the US, scientists and experts are exploring ways to mitigate its effects.
A new Caltech study finds that the brain's anterior cingulate cortex and striatum are involved in decision-making when faced with too many options, leading to a 'choice overload' effect. The ideal number of options is estimated to be between 8 and 15, depending on perceived reward and individual characteristics.
Researchers found that sleep-deprived individuals feel lonelier and less socially attractive, triggering a viral contagion of social isolation. Brain scans showed powerful social repulsion activity in neural networks activated when humans perceive personal space invasion.
A study published in Nature Communications found that testosterone increases men's preference for luxury products associated with high social status, rather than power or quality. The research team tested 243 male participants and found a causal link between testosterone levels and increased liking for status-enhancing goods.
Researchers found that participants with higher levels of mindfulness reported less distress from being excluded and showed reduced brain activity in areas associated with physical and social pain. Mindfulness may provide a solution to the painful effects of social rejection.
Researchers discovered a brain network that gives rise to feelings of gratitude, identifying the medial prefrontal cortex and perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC) as key regions. These areas process relevant social information and integrate it into complex emotions, such as gratitude.
A new study published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience found that having an audience improves performance at skilled tasks. When people know they are being observed, their brain activity increases in areas associated with social awareness and reward, leading to better motor skills.
Emory University's Yerkes National Primate Research Center has received a five-year, $12.7 million NIMH grant to continue research on oxytocin, a brain chemical involved in social bonding. The goal is to understand its role in neural communication and social functioning.
Research suggests that the brain's insular cortex mediates approach and avoidance responses to others in distress. The hormone oxytocin plays a crucial role in regulating this process, influencing social affective behaviors.
A Dartmouth study found that neural responses to videos can predict friendships, with friends exhibiting the most similar brain activity patterns. The researchers analyzed over 280 graduate students and discovered that even controlling for variables, similarity in neural activity among friends remained evident.
The NSF has awarded 19 projects to study neural and cognitive systems, advancing frontiers in cognitive science and neuroscience. The research focuses on four themes: education, engineering, computer science, and the impact of neural systems on these fields.
Researchers investigate face perception's impact on human behavior, including recognizing emotions, forming impressions, and making judgments. The study reveals the complexities of face processing and its role in shaping our interactions with others.
Research from the University of Chicago reveals that loneliness increases self-centeredness, which in turn contributes to further loneliness. This creates a negative feedback loop that can worsen social isolation. The study suggests targeting self-centeredness as part of an intervention to reduce loneliness may help break this cycle.
UCL researchers found that people factor in the number of reviews when making judgments, as well as the average rating, to assess a product's desirability. The study used fMRI scans and showed that brain areas active in social cognition are involved in integrating online reviews.
A team of neuroscientists discovered a crucial connection between the adult female prairie vole's brain reward system that promotes pair bonds. They found that communication between areas of the brain predicts how quickly each female prairie vole becomes affiliative with her partner.
A three-month contemplative training course improved participants' ability to identify and understand their own inner parts and those of others. The more negative inner parts identified, the better awareness of other people's frame of mind became.
Maja Matarić will present her research on socially assistive robots designed to support stroke patients, children with autism, and people with Alzheimer's disease. These robots use AI to decipher emotions, body language, and social cues to provide personalized interactions.
Researchers at UNC School of Medicine found a cluster of sex-hormone-sensitive neurons in the mouse hypothalamus that induce attraction to the opposite sex. The study's findings may also be relevant to certain psychiatric illnesses.
Researchers will investigate how vasopressin and serotonin act on the brain to alter responsivity to social stress in males and females. The project aims to define the basic brain mechanisms involved in regulating social behavior, with potential translational impacts for psychiatric disorders like PTSD.
Research reveals that Urocortin-3 influences how mice interact with familiar and stranger mice, potentially shedding light on human social anxiety disorders. The study suggests a molecular mechanism regulating social behavior may be involved in coping with social challenges.
A team of senior neuroscientists recommends changes to neuroscience education to adapt to the new reality that more than half of graduates will work outside academia. The report calls for incorporating computational science, promoting interdisciplinary skills, and informing students about various career paths.
A recent study examined the relationship between empathy and understanding others' mental states. The findings suggest that people who tend to be empathic do not necessarily understand other people well at a cognitive level. Social skills seem to be based on multiple abilities that are independent of each other.
A study published in Cell Press identified a neural circuit mediating social seeking behavior driven by a loneliness-like state in mice. The discovery sheds light on the neuroscience of isolation and may help understand social anxiety and autism spectrum disorders.
Researchers have pinpointed an area of the brain that links anxious temperament to low social status. High-anxious individuals perform poorly in social competition, leading to social subordination. Pharmacological manipulation of mitochondria may influence social rank.
Neuroscientists can analyze social media broadcasts to measure emotional states, social conformity, and personality traits. Social media use also reveals differences in brain structure and function compared to offline environments.
Researchers found that oxytocin-treated marmosets attracted more physical proximity and grooming from their long-term mates. The study suggests that oxytocin may increase the social attractiveness of treated individuals, which could be beneficial for people with social deficit disorders like autism spectrum disorder and social anxiety.
People with schizophrenia are more likely to misinterpret ambiguous social cues due to increased self-inference and hyper-mentalisation. Researchers found that patients' confidence in their interpretation is strongly associated with hallucinatory symptoms.
A new study published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience found that the Fair Trade logo increases consumer's willingness to pay by 30% on average. The study also discovered that the logo influences subjective evaluations of products and activates the brain's reward system.
A study by researchers at UCLA found that a social skills program for high-functioning young adults with autism improved their ability to engage with peers. The gains persisted 16 weeks after the program ended and were accompanied by increased empathy and greater responsibility.
Researchers found a correlation between hippocampal activity and movement through abstract social space, suggesting a common mechanism for coding physical space, time, and social relationships. The study's findings may yield new insights into psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and depression.
A new study by UCLA neuroscientists shows that even during quiet moments, our brains are preparing us to be socially connected to other people. The research reveals that the brain's social nature is biologically based and can affect our daily lives.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet create perceptual illusion of having an invisible body, reducing social anxiety responses. The study demonstrates the 'invisible hand illusion' can be extended to an entire invisible body, affecting brain processing of social cues.
A recent brain study has confirmed significant differences in play behavior, brain activation patterns, and stress levels between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing children. The research suggests that some children with autism may experience social engagement as stressful or aversive.
A new study finds that physical pain and social rejection activate different brain regions, challenging the long-held theory that they are processed similarly. The research could lead to more effective treatments for social pain, including the use of traditional painkillers.
A recent study published in PNAS found that pre-existing differences in immune system sensitivity to stress can increase the risk of developing stress-related depression or anxiety. The research suggests that interleukin-6 may be a key factor in this increased risk.
A Baylor University study found that materialists are less happy and have lower self-esteem because they struggle with gratitude. The study, which analyzed 246 marketing students, suggests that focusing on others in a positive way is essential for good health and happiness.
The Hub's interdisciplinary group will investigate the health implications of states of rest and noise, tumult and stillness, with a focus on transforming how we understand rest in modern life. The £1 million project aims to create new possibilities for people from all backgrounds to find rest in busy cities.
Joan Chiao's research investigates how cultural factors influence basic psychological and neural processes underlying social behavior and emotion processing. The study focuses on the physiological and cultural foundations of traits such as empathy and altruism, shedding light on their role in shaping human social interactions.
New studies uncover the connection between social status and specific brain structures and activity, particularly in the context of social stress. The findings suggest that adult rats living in disrupted environments produce fewer new brain cells, while people with larger social networks have bigger and better-connected brain regions.
A new model of institutionalizing interdisciplinary research has been developed by a team of social and life scientists at the University of Pennsylvania. The collaboration aims to bring together researchers from diverse disciplines to understand how neural processes inform large-scale effects on populations.
A study by Michigan State University neuroscientist Sharleen Sakai found a correlation between the size of carnivores' frontal cortices and their social nature. The coatimundi, a highly social animal, had the largest frontal cortex, while raccoons had the smallest.
A new study by CU-Boulder researchers suggests that people's ability to delay gratification may be influenced by their perception of others' trustworthiness. The findings have implications for understanding why certain populations struggle with self-control, and could inform strategies for improving social trust in children and adults.
Dr. Kim Huhman's research may lead to improved strategies for treating mental health problems associated with social stress. The study, supported by a federal grant, investigates how exposure to social stress causes changes in brain and behavior.
In a study published in Nature Neuroscience, researchers discovered that three distinct brain areas work together to weigh the benefits of giving to oneself versus another monkey. The team found that neurons in the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACCg) encode both giving and receiving rewards in a remarkably similar way.
A study by USC researchers reveals that social factors can affect brain activity related to motor actions, leading to 'differential processing'. This effect is specific to watching movement and is not influenced by physical appearance or group membership.
Researchers have identified a neural signature of affiliative experience in the human brain, using functional MRI to differentiate between positive and negative emotional experiences. The study's findings have implications for understanding emotions and neuropsychiatric conditions such as post-partum depression, psychopathy, and attach...
A new study at Duke University found that the temporal-parietal junction (TPJ) is responsible for processing information related to social interactions. The TPJ was active when subjects made decisions against human opponents, but not against computer opponents.
Neuroscience research with military funding sparks debate over scientific validity and consequential ethical considerations. Dual-use applications include brain-computer interfaces and neuromodulation technologies that may enhance or suppress neurological capacities in soldiers.
A Baylor University study finds that people who vote near churches report more conservative attitudes and negativity toward non-Christians. This suggests that the location of polling places can shape voter behavior and may impact election results. The study's findings have implications for how our surroundings influence our attitudes.
A new study found that the English language is strongly biased towards being positive, with popular sources like Twitter and music lyrics showing a preponderance of happier words. The research complements a previous study on global happiness trends, suggesting short-term average happiness has dropped but the fundamental positivity of t...
Researchers at UCLA found that boys with autism have slower growth rates in brain regions important for language and social skills, leading to unusual brain circuits. This study suggests delayed brain development may contribute to symptoms of autism and could improve treatment options.
Researchers found that sex-segregated schools do not necessarily lead to better education outcomes, and may even reinforce gender stereotypes. The study suggests that coeducational settings can help students develop essential skills for interacting with others.
Research suggests that nicotinic receptors play a crucial role in establishing a balance between social interactions and competing motivations. Mice with normal or modified nicotinic receptors exhibit different social behaviors, highlighting the importance of these receptors in social interactions.
Researchers at the Salk Institute will investigate the connection between genetics and social behavior using Williams syndrome as a model. They hope to gain insight into other neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.
A study found that extraverts who were exposed to 12 hours of social interaction were more vulnerable to subsequent sleep deprivation than those in isolated conditions. Introverts showed greater resistance to sleep loss, suggesting a trait-like factor.
A new study published in the journal Neuron found that individuals with autism exhibit normal responses in their mirror neuron system, a brain area involved in social communication. The findings contradict previous theories suggesting a dysfunctional mirror system as the cause of autism's social difficulties.
A new Northwestern University study finds that African-Americans show greater empathy for other African-Americans facing adversity than Caucasians do for Caucasian-Americans. The study suggests that identifying with a racial group can dramatically change one's ability to feel and respond to the pain of another person.
Researchers at UCLA discovered that simply looking at photos of a partner can reduce pain, suggesting a strong emotional link. The study also found holding hands with a loved one can further decrease physical discomfort.
Researchers use optogentics to explore brain function in normal and pathological conditions. New findings suggest musical training enhances auditory skills and diagnostic treatments for hearing disorders.