Abstract
Consistent evidence suggests that emotional facial expressions are better recognized when the expresser and the perceiver belong to the same social group (in-group advantage). In this study, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate the possible causal involvement of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and of the right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), two main nodes of the mentalizing neural network, in mediating the in-group advantage in emotion recognition. Participants performed an emotion discrimination task in a minimal (blue/green) group paradigm. We found that interfering with activity in the dmPFC significantly interfered with the effect of minimal group-membership on emotion recognition, reducing participants’ ability to discriminate emotions expressed by in-group members. In turn, rTPJ mainly affected emotion discrimination per se, irrespective of group membership. Overall, our results point to a causal role of the dmPFC in mediating the in-group advantage in emotion recognition, favoring intragroup communication.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 312-317 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Neuropsychologia |
| Volume | 93 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 1 2016 |
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Keywords
- Emotion recognition
- In-group advantage
- Medial prefrontal cortex
- Minimal group
- Temporo-parietal junction
- TMS
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Cite this
The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex plays a causal role in mediating in-group advantage in emotion recognition : A TMS study. / Gamond, L.; Cattaneo, Zaira.
In: Neuropsychologia, Vol. 93, 01.12.2016, p. 312-317.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex plays a causal role in mediating in-group advantage in emotion recognition
T2 - A TMS study
AU - Gamond, L.
AU - Cattaneo, Zaira
PY - 2016/12/1
Y1 - 2016/12/1
N2 - Consistent evidence suggests that emotional facial expressions are better recognized when the expresser and the perceiver belong to the same social group (in-group advantage). In this study, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate the possible causal involvement of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and of the right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), two main nodes of the mentalizing neural network, in mediating the in-group advantage in emotion recognition. Participants performed an emotion discrimination task in a minimal (blue/green) group paradigm. We found that interfering with activity in the dmPFC significantly interfered with the effect of minimal group-membership on emotion recognition, reducing participants’ ability to discriminate emotions expressed by in-group members. In turn, rTPJ mainly affected emotion discrimination per se, irrespective of group membership. Overall, our results point to a causal role of the dmPFC in mediating the in-group advantage in emotion recognition, favoring intragroup communication.
AB - Consistent evidence suggests that emotional facial expressions are better recognized when the expresser and the perceiver belong to the same social group (in-group advantage). In this study, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate the possible causal involvement of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and of the right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), two main nodes of the mentalizing neural network, in mediating the in-group advantage in emotion recognition. Participants performed an emotion discrimination task in a minimal (blue/green) group paradigm. We found that interfering with activity in the dmPFC significantly interfered with the effect of minimal group-membership on emotion recognition, reducing participants’ ability to discriminate emotions expressed by in-group members. In turn, rTPJ mainly affected emotion discrimination per se, irrespective of group membership. Overall, our results point to a causal role of the dmPFC in mediating the in-group advantage in emotion recognition, favoring intragroup communication.
KW - Emotion recognition
KW - In-group advantage
KW - Medial prefrontal cortex
KW - Minimal group
KW - Temporo-parietal junction
KW - TMS
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84999098795&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.11.011
DO - 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.11.011
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84999098795
VL - 93
SP - 312
EP - 317
JO - Neuropsychologia
JF - Neuropsychologia
SN - 0028-3932
ER -