Balconi Michela, Pagani Silvia
Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology, Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy; Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience.
Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology, Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy.
Physiol Behav. 2014 Jun 22;133:207-15. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.05.043. Epub 2014 Jun 4.
The perception and interpretation of social hierarchies are a key part of our social life. In the present research we considered the activation of cortical areas, mainly the prefrontal cortex, related to social ranking perception in conjunction with some personality components (BAS - Behavioral Activation System - and BIS - Behavioral Inhibition System). In two experiments we manipulated the perceived superior/inferior status during a competitive cognitive task. Indeed, we created an explicit and strongly reinforced social hierarchy based on incidental rating in an attentional task. Specifically, a peer group comparison was undertaken and improved (Experiment 1) or decreased (Experiment 2) performance was artificially manipulated by the experimenter. For each experiment two groups were compared, based on a BAS and BIS dichotomy. Alpha band modulation in prefrontal cortex, behavioral measures (performance: error rate, ER; response times, RTs), and self-perceived ranking were considered. Repeated measures ANOVAs and regression analyses showed in Experiment 1 a significant improved cognitive performance (decreased ER and RTs) and higher self-perceived ranking in high-BAS participants. Moreover, their prefrontal activity was increased within the left side (alpha band decreasing). Conversely, in Experiment 2 a significant decreased cognitive performance (increased ER and RTs) and lower self-perceived ranking was observed in higher-BIS participants. Their prefrontal right activity was increased in comparison with higher BAS. The regression analyses confirmed the significant predictive role of alpha band modulation with respect of subjects' performance and self-perception of social ranking, differently for BAS/BIS components. The present results suggest that social status perception is directly modulated by cortical activity and personality correlates.
对社会等级制度的认知和解读是我们社会生活的关键部分。在本研究中，我们考虑了与社会等级认知相关的皮质区域（主要是前额叶皮质）的激活情况，并结合了一些人格成分（行为激活系统 - BAS - 和行为抑制系统 - BIS）。在两个实验中，我们在竞争性认知任务期间操纵了感知到的优越/ inferior 地位。事实上，我们基于注意力任务中的偶然评分创建了一个明确且强化的社会等级制度。具体而言，进行了同伴群体比较，实验者人为地操纵了表现的提高（实验 1）或降低（实验 2）。对于每个实验，基于 BAS 和 BIS 的二分法比较了两组。考虑了前额叶皮质的阿尔法波段调制、行为测量指标（表现：错误率，ER；反应时间，RT）以及自我感知的等级。重复测量方差分析和回归分析表明，在实验 1 中，高 BAS 参与者的认知表现显著提高（ER 和 RT 降低）且自我感知等级更高。此外，他们左侧的前额叶活动增强（阿尔法波段降低）。相反，在实验 2 中，高 BIS 参与者的认知表现显著下降（ER 和 RT 增加）且自我感知等级较低。与高 BAS 参与者相比，他们右侧的前额叶活动增强。回归分析证实了阿尔法波段调制对受试者表现和社会等级自我感知的显著预测作用，对于 BAS/BIS 成分而言有所不同。目前的结果表明，社会地位感知直接受到皮质活动和人格相关性的调节。
