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Montandon ML, Rodriguez C, Herrmann FR, Eytan A, Pegna AJ, Haller S, Giannakopoulos P. Seeing in my way or your way: impact of intelligence, attention, and empathy on brain reactivity. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1071676. [PMID: 37234603 PMCID: PMC10206026 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1071676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies showed that neurotypical adults are able to engage in unconscious analyses of others' mental states in the context of automatic perspective taking and experience systematic difficulties when judging the conflicts between their own (Self) and another's (Other) perspective. Several functional MRI (fMRI) studies reported widespread activation of mentalizing, salience, and executive networks when adopting the Other compared to Self perspective. This study aims to explore whether cognitive and emotional parameters impact on brain reactivity in dot perspective task (dPT). We provide here an fMRI analysis based on individual z-scores in eighty-two healthy adults who underwent the Samson's dPT after detailed assessment of fluid intelligence, attention, levels of alexithymia and social cognition abilities. Univariate regression models were used to explore the association between brain activation patterns and psychological variables. There was a strong positive association between Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and fMRI z-scores in Self perspective. When the Other perspective is taken, Continuous Performance Test (CPT)-II parameters were negatively associated with fMRI z-scores. Individuals with higher Toronto Alexithymia scale (TAS) score and lower scores in mini-Social cognition and Emotional Assessment (SEA) displayed significantly higher egocentric interference-related fMRI z-scores. Our data demonstrate that brain activation when focusing on our own perspective depends on the levels of fluid intelligence. Decreased attentional recruitment and decreased inhibitory control affects the brain efforts to adopt the Other perspective. Egocentric interference-associated brain fMRI activation was less marked in cases with better empathy abilities but the opposite was true for persons who experience increased difficulties in the recognition of emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Louise Montandon
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Cristelle Rodriguez
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Division of Institutional Measures, Medical Direction, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - François R. Herrmann
- Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ariel Eytan
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Division of Institutional Measures, Medical Direction, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alan J. Pegna
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Sven Haller
- CIMC—Centre d’Imagerie Médicale de Cornavin, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Radiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Panteleimon Giannakopoulos
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Division of Institutional Measures, Medical Direction, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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Weimer AA, Cortez N, Razo N. Does chess-playing relate to theory of mind? An examination of the interrelations among theory of mind, perspective-taking, and empathic concern in chess-players ( ¿El juego de ajedrez tiene relación con la teoría de la mente? Un análisis de las interrelaciones entre la teoría de la mente, la toma de perspectiva, y el interés empático de los jugadores de ajedrez). STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/02109395.2022.2058266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amy A. Weimer
- School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University
| | - Noemi Cortez
- Department of Psychological Science, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
| | - Nancy Razo
- Department of Human Development and School Services, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
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Rodriguez C, Montandon ML, Herrmann FR, Pegna AJ, Giannakopoulos P. Cognitive and Emotional Determinants of Automatic Perspective Taking in Healthy Adults. Front Psychol 2022; 13:883929. [PMID: 35586238 PMCID: PMC9108454 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.883929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies using the dot-perspective task postulated that people automatically take into account others' perspective even when it prevents them from achieving their own goals. This human ability may be of key importance for the ascription of mental states and social interactions. The cognitive and emotional determinants of automatic perspective taking (APT) is still matter of debate. To address this issue, we examined the performance in the Samson et al. APT task in 91 healthy adults who underwent a detailed neuropsychological testing including assessment of their general intelligence (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, WAIS), attention and impulsivity (Conners' Continuous Performance Test-II, CPT-II), alexithymia (Toronto Alexithymia Scale, TAS), and measures of affective empathy and explicit theory of mind (Geneva Social Cognition Scale, GeSoCS, and mini-Social cognition and Emotional Assessment, mini-SEA). Univariate and multiple linear regression models (adjusted for age, gender, and education) were used to explore the association between mean reaction times (respectively, mean number of errors) in the APT task, and the CPT-II parameters, WAIS global score (as well as subscale scores), TAS, and GeSoCS and mini-SEA scores. Only the CPT-II parameters were significantly associated with the mean reaction times. Increased omissions, commissions, and detectability as well as hit reaction time standard error in CPT-II were all related to worse performances both in Self and Other conditions. The mean number of errors was negatively associated with the GeSoCS score. Among the variables studied, only CPT-II parameters had a significant impact on egocentric and altercentric interference. Neither global intelligence nor alexithymia have an effect on dot-perspective task performance. The present findings suggest that people with lower attentional resources and increased impulsivity display worse performances in the APT task and are less responsive to both egocentric and altercentric interference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristelle Rodriguez
- Division of Institutional Measures, Medical Direction, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marie-Louise Montandon
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - François R. Herrmann
- Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alan J. Pegna
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Panteleimon Giannakopoulos
- Division of Institutional Measures, Medical Direction, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Panteleimon Giannakopoulos
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