Brain Coding of Social Network Structure

Peer, Michael; Hayman, Mordechai; Tamir, Bar; Arzy, Shahar

doi:10.1523/jneurosci.2641-20.2021

Cited by 31 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 94 publications

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“…Another study targeted at social cognition investigated how the human brain process social connections and interactions and found that generally consistent with other studies that investigated social information in humans [4] [18], the social network distance information is represented in the default mode network [17]. However, the study discovered a cortical division between the neural representations of social network structure, self-referenced social distance, and trait-based social knowledge [17].…”

Section: Cognitive Maps Constructed From Different Reference Framessupporting

confidence: 68%

“…Recent work suggests a dissociation between spatial maps that are self-centred and world-centred, each with different neural mechanisms. The self-centred mental map is often referred to as cognitive map represented by the hippocampal-entorhinal system, whereas the world-centred map is termed image spaces represented by the parietal cortex [16] [17].…”

Section: Cognitive Maps Constructed From Different Reference Framesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cognitive Map: Universal Code for Learning and Memory

Cheng¹

2022

Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research

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Ever since the discovery of place cells, the conception of the cognitive map has revived and the intriguing assumption that spatial navigation system also encodes other cognitive functions has aroused interest among neuroscientists. Though the hypothesis has been viewed with some skepticism, evidence gradually accumulated in the last decade, especially with regard to more abstract functions of the human brain. Drawing on the most recent experimental results, this theoretical literature review attempted to further assess the possibility that the human brain processes various kinds of information by constructing cognitive maps and uncover some of its governing principles. Conclusions are that recent evidence generally supports the hypothesis, though the characteristics of spatial map and cognitive map exhibit differences. Moreover, time scale and reference frame are two variables that determine the neural activity during cognitive tasks, more specifically, the brain regions that exhibit signals that are thought to reflect the participation of cognitive maps vary with changes in time scale and reference frame. Therefore, these two variables should be taken into account when designing experiments and interpreting the results. The review will help guide future exploration of the cognitive map, which is a promising candidate for unraveling the universal rule of human cognition.

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Section: Cognitive Maps Constructed From Different Reference Framessupporting

confidence: 68%

Section: Cognitive Maps Constructed From Different Reference Framesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive Map: Universal Code for Learning and Memory

Cheng¹

2022

Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research

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“…Transmission of memories within social networks facilitates memory dispersion between individuals. Peer et al (2021) examined participants' real-life social networks and how they are neurally-coded using fMRI. Social network distances were coded in the default mode network (medial parietal and lateral parietal as well as medial prefrontal cortices).…”

Section: Social Network and Memory Transmissionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neural, psychological, and social foundations of collective memory: Implications for common mnemonic processes, agency, and identity

Fischer

O’Mara

2022

Progress in Brain Research

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“…In another study, differences between closer (scales 1-3) and less close (scales 4-5) people were based on activity in the medial prefrontal, inferior frontal and medial parietal cortices, and the temporoparietal junction [21]. Two other studies [22], [23] investigated people's real world social networks (scales 1-5), and found that the temporoparietal junction, the posterior lateral temporal lobe and the retrosplenial cortex are involved in processing personal closeness. Yet, these studies did not systematically investigate reflections of the different social scales in brain activity, though such a reflection has been shown in between spatial and temporal scales [24], [25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Processing of Different Social Scales in the Human Brain

Roseman

Dunbar

Arzy

2022

Preprint

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For an individual to lead a healthy and fulfilling social life, it is essential to have relationships with multiple people who are at different levels of emotional closeness. Based on ethological, sociological and psychological evidence, social networks have been divided into five scales of emotional closeness, gradually increasing in size and decreasing in emotional proximity. Is this division also reflected in different brain processes? During functional MRI, participants compared their emotional closeness to different members of their social network. We examined the brain area that was differentially activated for levels of emotional closeness, and found that its vast majority (78%) showed preference for people who are closest to participants, including the temporoparietal junction, middle temporal gyrus, precuneus and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. A different system, which includes the medial temporal lobe, retrosplenial cortex and ventromedial prefrontal cortex showed preference for all other social scales. Moreover, we found a significant correlation between brain responses to emotionally close people and smaller spaces (room, building) as well as between emotionally distant people and larger spaces (neighborhood, city). Finally, brain activity at the default mode network (DMN) was associated with social scale preference, such that its subnetwork DMN A, related to social processing, showed preference to closer social scales, while DMN C, related to spatiotemporal processing, showed preference to farther social scales. Our results show that the cognitive processing of a few intimately close people differs from the rest of the social network, emphasizing their crucial role in social life.SignificanceWe divide the people in our lives according to levels of emotional closeness, called social scales, ranging from the few people who are the closest to us, in which we invest most of our social efforts and time (support clique), to the farthest level of ∼150 acquaintances. Here, we used neuroimaging to investigate the brain processing of different social scales. We found that the area of cortex dedicated to the support clique is much larger than that of all other scales and encompasses different brain regions. Interestingly, this division is similar to the one between processing of small and larger spaces, and processed by different subregions of the default mode network. Our study emphasizes the importance of close relationships in our social lives as found in the brain.

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Brain Coding of Social Network Structure

Cited by 31 publications

References 94 publications

Cognitive Map: Universal Code for Learning and Memory

Cognitive Map: Universal Code for Learning and Memory

Neural, psychological, and social foundations of collective memory: Implications for common mnemonic processes, agency, and identity

Processing of Different Social Scales in the Human Brain

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