1
|
Huang X, Sun Y, Tao R, Yan K, Zhang E. Morality or competence is more important? The effect of evaluation dimensions on ERP responses to neutral faces depends on contextual valence and self-relevance. Int J Psychophysiol 2024; 200:112358. [PMID: 38710371 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2024.112358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that the processing of neutral facial expressions could be modulated by the valence and self-relevance of preceding verbal evaluations. However, these studies have not distinguished the dimension (i.e., morality and competence) from verbal evaluations. In fact, there is a hot controversy about whether morality or competence receives more weight. Therefore, using the ERP technique, the current study aimed to address this issue by comparing the influence of morality and competence evaluations on behavioral and neural responses to neutral facial expressions when these evaluations varied with contextual valence and self-relevance. Our ERP results revealed that the early EPN amplitudes were larger for neutral faces after receiving evaluations about self relative to evaluations about senders. Moreover, the EPN was more negative after a competence evaluation relative to a morality evaluation when these evaluations were positive, while this effect was absent when these evaluations were negative. The late LPP was larger after a morality evaluation compared to a competence evaluation when these evaluations were negative and directed to self. However, no significant LPP effect between morality and competence evaluations was observed when these evaluations were positive. The present study extended previous studies by showing that early and late processing stages of faces are affected by the evaluation dimension in a top-down manner and further modulated by contextual valence and self-relevance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Huang
- Institute of Cognition, Brain & Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, China; Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Yuliu Sun
- Zhengzhou University of Railway Engineering, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ruiwen Tao
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research & Key Laboratory of Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China; College of International Business, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaikai Yan
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research & Key Laboratory of Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China; College of International Business, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
| | - Entao Zhang
- Institute of Cognition, Brain & Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, China; Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Peters A, Helming H, Bruchmann M, Wiegandt A, Straube T, Schindler S. How and when social evaluative feedback is processed in the brain: A systematic review on ERP studies. Cortex 2024; 173:187-207. [PMID: 38422855 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Social evaluative feedback informs the receiver of the other's views, which may contain judgments of personality-related traits and/or the level of likability. Such kinds of social evaluative feedback are of particular importance to humans. Event-related potentials (ERPs) can directly measure where in the processing stream feedback valence, expectancy, or contextual relevance modulate information processing. This review provides an overview and systematization of studies and early, mid-latency, and late ERP effects. Early effects were inconsistently reported for all factors. Feedback valence effects are more consistently reported for specific mid-latency ERPs (Reward Positivity, RewP, and Early Posterior Negativity, EPN) and late positivities (P3 and Late Positive Potential, LPP). Unexpected feedback consistently increased the Feedback Related Negativity (FRN) and, less consistently, decreased P3 amplitudes. Contextual relevance of the sender (e.g., human vs computer sender) or self-relatedness increased mid-latency to late ERPs. Interactions between valence and other factors were less often found, arising during mid-latency stages, where most consistent interactions showed larger EPN and P3 amplitude differences for valent feedback in a more relevant context. The ERP findings highlight that social evaluative feedback is consistently differentiated during mid-latency processing stages. The review discusses the relevance of findings, possible shortcomings of different experimental designs, and open questions. Furthermore, we suggest concrete venues for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antje Peters
- Institute for Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Germany
| | - Hanne Helming
- Institute for Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Münster, Germany
| | - Maximilian Bruchmann
- Institute for Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Germany
| | - Anja Wiegandt
- Institute for Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Münster, Germany
| | - Thomas Straube
- Institute for Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Germany
| | - Sebastian Schindler
- Institute for Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Long C, Hu X, Qi G, Zhang L. Self-interest is intuitive during opportunity (in)equity: Evidence from multivariate pattern analysis of electroencephalography data. Neuropsychologia 2022; 174:108343. [PMID: 35932948 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Fairness is a remarkable preference for human society, involving both outcome and opportunity equity. Most previous studies have explored whether fairness itself or self-interest is intuitive during outcome (in)equity. However, intuition during outcome (in)equity can be affected by both fairness level and actual payoff. Since opportunity (in)equity is only affected by the fairness level, we explored only intuition during fairness by measuring event-related potential responses to opportunity (in)equity. Participants played a social non-competitive two-person choice game with advantage opportunity inequity (AI), opportunity equity (OE), and disadvantage opportunity inequity (DI). The behavioral results suggested an opportunity inequity bias, with greater feelings of fairness and pleasantness during OE than during AI and DI. However, multivariate pattern analysis of the event-related potential (ERP) data suggested that AI, OE, and DI can be significantly distinguished from each other in relatively early windows overlapping with early positive negativity (EPN), and AI and DI can be significantly further distinguished during a relatively late window overlapping with late positive potential (LPP). Moreover, the conventional ERP analysis found that EPN amplitudes were more negative for AI than for OE and DI, as well as for OE than for DI, suggesting a pleasure bias for increased self-interest. LPP amplitudes were greater for DI than for AI and OE, suggesting enhanced sensitivity to DI. These results suggest that self-interest is intuitive during opportunity (in)equity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Changquan Long
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
| | - Xin Hu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Guomei Qi
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Liping Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Portengen CM, Huffmeijer R, van Baar AL, Endendijk JJ. Measuring the Neural Correlates of the Violation of Social Expectations: A Comparison of Two Experimental Tasks. Soc Neurosci 2022; 17:58-72. [DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2022.2032327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christel M. Portengen
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Clinical Child and Family Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rens Huffmeijer
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, the Netherlands
| | - Anneloes L. van Baar
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Clinical Child and Family Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Joyce J. Endendijk
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Clinical Child and Family Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ellena G, Starita F, Haggard P, Romei V, Làdavas E. Fearful faces modulate spatial processing in peripersonal space: An ERP study. Neuropsychologia 2021; 156:107827. [PMID: 33722572 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Peripersonal space (PPS) represents the region of space surrounding the body. A pivotal function of PPS is to coordinate defensive responses to threat. We have previously shown that a centrally-presented, looming fearful face, signalling a potential threat in one's surroundings, modulates spatial processing by promoting a redirection of sensory resources away from the face towards the periphery, where the threat may be expected - but only when the face is presented in near, rather than far space. Here, we use electrophysiological measures to investigate the neural mechanism underlying this effect. Participants made simple responses to tactile stimuli delivered on the cheeks, while watching task-irrelevant neutral or fearful avatar faces, looming towards them either in near or far space. Simultaneously with the tactile stimulation, a ball with a checkerboard pattern (probe) appeared to the left or right of the avatar face. Crucially, this probe could either be close to the avatar face, and thus more central in the participant's vision, or further away from the avatar face, and thus more peripheral in the participant's vision. Electroencephalography was continuously recorded. Behavioural results confirmed that in near space only, and for fearful relative to neutral faces, tactile processing was facilitated by the peripheral compared to the central probe. This behavioural effect was accompanied by a reduction of the N1 mean amplitude elicited by the peripheral probe for fearful relative to neutral faces. Moreover, the faster the participants responded to tactile stimuli with the peripheral probe, relative to the central, the smaller was their N1. Together these results, suggest that fearful faces intruding into PPS may increase expectation of a visual event occurring in the periphery. This fear-induced effect would enhance the defensive function of PPS when it is most needed, i.e., when the source of threat is nearby, but its location remains unknown.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Ellena
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, 47521, Cesena, Italy.
| | - Francesca Starita
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, 47521, Cesena, Italy
| | - Patrick Haggard
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, UK
| | - Vincenzo Romei
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, 47521, Cesena, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179, Roma, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Làdavas
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, 47521, Cesena, Italy
| |
Collapse
|