Stolier Ryan M, Freeman Jonathan B
Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, New York 10003.
Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, New York 10003
J Neurosci. 2017 Jun 7;37(23):5711-5721. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3334-16.2017. Epub 2017 May 8.
Humans readily sort one another into multiple social categories from mere facial features. However, the facial features used to do so are not always clear-cut because they can be associated with opponent categories (e.g., feminine male face). Recently, computational models and behavioral studies have provided indirect evidence that categorizing such faces is accomplished through dynamic competition between parallel, coactivated social categories that resolve into a stable categorical percept. Using a novel paradigm combining fMRI with real-time hand tracking, the present study examined how the brain translates diverse social cues into categorical percepts. Participants (male and female) categorized faces varying in gender and racial typicality. When categorizing atypical faces, participants' hand movements were simultaneously attracted toward the unselected category response, indexing the degree to which such faces activated the opposite category in parallel. Multivoxel pattern analyses (MVPAs) provided evidence that such social category coactivation manifested in neural patterns of the right fusiform cortex. The extent to which the hand was simultaneously attracted to the opposite gender or race category response option corresponded to increased neural pattern similarity with the average pattern associated with that category, which in turn associated with stronger engagement of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. The findings point to a model of social categorization in which occasionally conflicting facial features are resolved through competition between coactivated ventral-temporal cortical representations with the assistance of conflict-monitoring regions. More broadly, the results offer a promising multimodal paradigm to investigate the neural basis of "hidden", temporarily active representations in the service of a broad range of cognitive processes. Individuals readily sort one another into social categories (e.g., sex, race), which have important consequences for a variety of interpersonal behaviors. However, individuals routinely encounter faces that contain diverse features associated with multiple categories (e.g., feminine male face). Using a novel paradigm combining neuroimaging with hand tracking, the present research sought to address how the brain comes to arrive at stable social categorizations from multiple social cues. The results provide evidence that opponent social categories coactivate in face-processing regions, which compete and may resolve into an eventual stable categorization with the assistance of conflict-monitoring regions. Therefore, the findings provide a neural mechanism through which the brain may translate inherently diverse social cues into coherent categorizations of other people.
人类仅凭面部特征就能轻易地将彼此归入多个社会类别。然而，用于进行分类的面部特征并不总是清晰明确的，因为它们可能与对立类别相关联（例如，具有女性特征的男性面孔）。最近，计算模型和行为研究提供了间接证据，表明对这类面孔进行分类是通过并行、共同激活的社会类别之间的动态竞争来完成的，这种竞争会形成一个稳定的类别感知。本研究采用一种将功能磁共振成像（fMRI）与实时手部追踪相结合的新范式，考察了大脑如何将多样的社会线索转化为类别感知。参与者（男性和女性）对面部的性别和种族典型性各异的面孔进行分类。在对非典型面孔进行分类时，参与者的手部动作会同时被吸引到未被选择的类别反应方向，这表明这类面孔并行激活对立类别的程度。多体素模式分析（MVPA）提供了证据，表明这种社会类别共同激活表现在右侧梭状回皮质的神经模式中。手部同时被吸引到相反性别或种族类别反应选项的程度，与神经模式与该类别相关的平均模式的相似度增加相对应，而这又与背侧前扣带回皮质更强的参与度相关。研究结果指向一种社会分类模型，即在冲突监测区域的协助下，通过共同激活的腹侧颞叶皮质表征之间的竞争来解决偶尔相互冲突的面部特征。更广泛地说，这些结果提供了一种有前景的多模态范式，用于研究在广泛认知过程中“隐藏的”、暂时活跃的表征的神经基础。人们很容易将彼此归入社会类别（例如，性别、种族），这对各种人际行为都有重要影响。然而，人们经常会遇到包含与多个类别相关的多样特征的面孔（例如，具有女性特征的男性面孔）。本研究采用一种将神经成像与手部追踪相结合的新范式，试图解决大脑如何从多种社会线索中得出稳定的社会分类这一问题。结果提供了证据，表明对立的社会类别在面部处理区域共同激活，它们相互竞争，并可能在冲突监测区域的协助下最终形成稳定的分类。因此，这些发现提供了一种神经机制，大脑可能通过这种机制将本质上多样的社会线索转化为对他人的连贯分类。
