L13

Question 1

what is Social Cognition

Answer 1

How people process, store, and apply information

about other people and social situations

Question 2

what are the Seven key processes required for

successful human social interaction:

Answer 2

social perception

social inferences, such as mentalizing

social learning

social signalling through verbal and nonverbal cues

social drives (e.g. act to increase one’s status);

ability to determine the social identity of agents, including oneself (gender, age, ect)

minimise uncertainty within the current social context
by integrating sensory signals and inferences.

Question 3

what is the Simulation theory

Answer 3

it has to do with understanding others

proposes that some aspects of our
ability to understand others is based on our ability to mimic
their experience - to mentalise and empathise

Our brains are set up so they we can observe other propels behaviours and activate regions of the brain that would be active if we were doing than

Question 4

what are Mirror neurons

Answer 4

first described in ventral premotor cortex, but since discovered in a wide range of brain regions

they provide a link between other peoples actions and your own actions

Question 5

what is some evidence for the simulation theory

Answer 5

Mirror neurons

Question 6

when would mirror neurons fire

Answer 6

at rest = nothing

doing a grasping action the mirror neurons would fire

then if you were to watch someone else completing a grasping action the same neurons would fire

Question 7

when you look at neuron that more more posterior and inferior in the temporal cortex what would you see

in terms of when they fire

Answer 7

you will find neurons that fire when observing an action but not when you are doing said action

Question 8

what is meant by “mirror neurons encode the intention of an actor”

Answer 8

different neurons will fire when a monkey reaches out to grab something with the intention to eat it compared to if it was reaching out to just inspect it

therefore the neurons are discriminating what you are going to do with the object

Question 9

what is some evidence that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) interrupts action recognition

(applyed over premotor cortex)

Answer 9

when TMS what applyed over the hand area of the PMC the participant would have trouble recognising a hand in a video

therefore the PMC plays a causal role in action understanding

Question 10

what is a faux pas test

Answer 10

Jill had just moved into a new flat. Jill went shopping and bought some new curtains for her bedroom. When she had just finished decorating the flat, her best friend, Lisa, came over. Jill gave her a tour of the flat and asked,

“How do you like my
bedroom?”

“Those curtains are horrible,” Lisa said. “I hope you’re going to get some new ones!”

the participants would then be assessed on what elements of the test they picked up on

1) Detecting a faux pas.
Did anyone say something they shouldn’t have said?

2) Understanding the faux pas. Who said something they shouldn’t have?

3) Understanding the recipient’s mental state
Why should they not have said it?

4) Understanding the speaker’s mental state
Why did he or she say it?

5) Details of story (control question)

Question 11

in terms of the faux pas test, what aspect would you expect participants with PFC lesions to do bad in

Answer 11

4) Understanding the speaker’s mental state

Why did he or she say it?

Question 12

what are the neural correlates of social connection

Answer 12

self focused

other focused

Question 13

what area of the brain is activated in self focused neural correlates of social connection

Answer 13

the vmPFC

Question 14

what area of the brain is activated in other focused neural correlates of social connection

Answer 14

ACC

anterior cingulate cortex

Question 15

what is the anatomy of social cognition

Answer 15

Social cognition is distributed across a number of different brain areas

Question 16

what are modifiable risk factors of dementia

Answer 16

low education

midlife hearing loss

obesity and hypertension

late-life depression

smoking

physical inactivity

diabetes

social isolation (reduced social connection)

Question 17

what is structural social cognition

Answer 17

the existence of and the interconnection among different social relationships and roles

Question 18

what are some examples of structural social cognition

Answer 18

marital status

social networks

social integration

social isolation

Question 19

what is functional social cognition

Answer 19

functions provided by or perceived to be available because of social relationships

Question 20

what are some examples of functional social cognition

Answer 20

received support

perceived social support

perceived loneliness

Question 21

what is quality social cognition

Answer 21

the positive and negative aspects of social relationships

Question 22

what are some examples of quality social cognition

Answer 22

marital quality

relationship strain

social inclusion or exclusion

Question 23

what can be seen when looking at studies of social connection over an 18 year period

Answer 23

The group that were most isolated they have very poor outcomes

At 15 years then 75% have passed away

Question 24

what is the percentage of individuals developing dementia over a 3 year period for

Living with others

Living alone

Not feeling lonely

Feelings of loneliness

Answer 24

Living with others = 6%

Living alone = 9%

Not feeling lonely = 6%

Feelings of loneliness = 13%

Question 25

what is the social control hypothesis

Answer 25

Impact of friends and family on health behaviours through

obligations and influences e.g. sleep-diet exercise

Question 26

what is the evolutionary hypothesis

Answer 26

Social structures and behaviours have evolved

All contribute to survival and reproduction and the underlying mechanisms are instantiated in the brain

We have evolved to be more likely to survive if we live in social groups

The brain works hard to get you into social situations and when you are not then the brain will starts sending out signals that may be detrimental for your health

Question 27

what are some examples of how the human perceptual system has evolved
to decipher cues across diverse social landscapes.

there’s 7

Answer 27

Detecting Social danger

Detecting kin and group members

Detecting disease and health

Fitness and beauty

Trust and cheaters

Protection and Competence

Status and Dominance

Question 28

Isolation also activates brain regions to promote short-term preservation. this leads to increased…

(6 examples)

Answer 28

vigilance for social threats

anxiety

hostility

decreased impulse control

attention to negative social stimuli

cortisol release

Question 29

Isolation promoting short-term preservation is a good thing evolutionary but it is not now. why

Answer 29

evolutionary is you were lonely you were in a dangerous situation

now there is usually no need for these behaviours and will only drive more people away

Question 30

what is one thing that could lower cortisol levels

Answer 30

marriage

Question 31

what do increased cortisol levels cause

Answer 31

Disrupts sleep, immune function and cognition
Increased cortisol levels predict Alzheimer’s risk

long term levels of cortisol are bad

Question 32

how has social interaction changed over time

Answer 32

Now it is more likely that people are living on their own

In every country there is a marked increase

When living alone it is more likely that you are going to be socially isolated

Question 33

How has social connection changed over time?

Answer 33

In a recent survey of 20,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older,
almost half report feeling alone (40%) or left out (47 %).

One in four (27 %) feel they are not understood.

Two in five (43 %) feel relations are not meaningful and that
they feel isolated (43%).

Despite having a large amount of social media use they still felt as though they had low social interaction

Question 34

Does connection through the internet substitute

for face-to-face interactions?

Answer 34

Participants in the highest quartile of social media use had twice the odds of perceived social isolation than those in the lowest quartile

Question 35

explain what is meant by the chicken and the egg issue with social media use and social connection

Answer 35

It’s possible that people who feel socially isolated look to social media to help fill the void.

Or, it may be that spending hours on social media, rather
than on other activities, encourages feelings of isolation and even jealousy.

Question 36

why do we need to be cautious of a strong evolutionary approach

Answer 36

could be interpreted to mean that behaviour is rigidly determined (lack of free-will).

could be used to justify the status quo, entrench ruling
elites, and legitimize authoritarian political programmes (Social Darwinism – the survival of the fittest).

Some explanations might be unfalsifiable

A modern understanding acknowledges that Nature and Nuture are interwoven

Question 37

what are epigenetics

Answer 37

When environment changes the genetics

eg the environmental effect of gene expression involved in obesity

Question 38

A modern understanding acknowledges
that Nature and Nuture are interwoven

what does this mean

Answer 38

The way people select, modify and create environments is
correlated with their genetic disposition.

Biologists have established that many genes cannot
influence development independently of environmental
factors (epigenetics).

Genetic and nongenetic factors
always cooperate to build traits.

As an example, consider the developmental pathway a 10-year-old boy presenting to a mental health professional for high levels of aggressive behavior. He may have inherited a genetically-based temperamental predisposition to being aggressive. As a young child, that tendency to become irritable and angry would then often evoke more negative responses in other people such as parents, who may themselves struggle with controlling their own anger. These interactions begin to snowball, affecting his schoolwork and friendships and, through epigenetic mechanisms, all of these experiences cause this child’s brain to grow differently.