week 6: social

Question 1

pros of self-compassion?

Answer 1

• better body image and appreciation

Question 2

low serotonin?

Answer 2

depression
- altered limbic system development and activity
- smaller amygdala: less reactive

Question 3

early experiences significance?

Answer 3

• shapes neural development
• gene expression
• habits
  epigenetics: modification of gene expression rather than genetic code

Question 4

cognitive reappraisal

Answer 4

• changing how one thinks about a given situation
• regulating emotions
• focus on what you can control

Question 5

tripartite influence

Answer 5

• peers, parents, media

Question 6

2 meditational mechanisms that cause bodily dissatisfaction?

Answer 6

• internalization of thin ideal
• appearance comparison

Question 7

biggest impact of comparing amongst the genders

Answer 7

• men: compare to athletes
• women: compare to best friend

Question 8

what happens to brain when models are shown to women?

Answer 8

• activates anterior cingulate (attention, noticing mistakes)
  
  • i should look like that. i’m different.
• activates amygdala
  anxiety/fear/incompetence
• activates dorsal striatum
  engrained habits: self-criticism or shaming oneself

Question 9

weight and predicted salary study?

Answer 9

• thinner women correlates more money
• heavier men correlates more money

Question 10

body images across cultures

Answer 10

less socioeconomically developed: value heavier (means more wealth)

western: thinner perceived ideal

older people: heavier perceived ideal

Question 11

interoceptive awareness

Answer 11

• sensing signals internal to the body
  thirst, hunger, pain, physical sensations

Question 12

what happens when interoceptive awareness is disrupted?

Answer 12

• eating disorders
  difficulty counting heartbeats
  unaware of their emotions/stress

Question 13

body dysmorphic disorder (brain regions)?

Answer 13

dorsal striatum: habits
excessive exercise

anterior cingulate
hyper fixated on specific body part

Question 14

pride and shame study

Answer 14

• self-referential emotions

both pride and shame
- insula (pain), DMPFC (feeling good or bad about results), nuc. accum (impulses). increases

pride
- amygdala increases
more to lose

shame
- amygdala decreases

Question 15

social animals

Answer 15

• relationships = success
  reduce stress (nuc. accum. impulse and habits)limbic system: relationships are rewarding

Question 16

orphanage vs non-institutionalized children study

Answer 16

orphanage kids
- 15% less gray matter (cell bodies)
- larger amygdala size (more reactive and anxious)

Question 17

what happens to 3 year old children who are neglected?

Answer 17

• smaller brain and more amygdala activity

Question 18

cyberball and pain of rejection study

Answer 18

• fMRI while playing game of catch virtually
• stop passing it to you
• feelings of social rejection
• dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and insula (pain and mistakes: feeling bad)

Question 19

dorsal anterior cingulate

Answer 19

involved in physical pain and social rejection

Question 20

lick your kids?

Answer 20

• explore more
• show less fear, less stress hormones

Question 21

nature or nurture mice study

Answer 21

• some are genetically predisposed and some are influenced by parenting styles
• comparing exploratory mice to parents that were anxious or exploratory

Question 22

oxytocin

Answer 22

• love hormone
• increased attachment: trust
• decrease stress
  less pain
• hypothalamus regulates

ex: breastfeeding, hugs, caressing, sex, someone trusting you, talking

Question 23

where does oxytocin come from? what is its purpose?

Answer 23

• oxytocin neurons from hypothalamus project to ventral tegmental area (where dopamine is produced)
• modulates reward

Question 24

oxytocin and amygdala

Answer 24

• reduces amygdala reactivity

Question 25

oxytocin and hippocampus

Answer 25

- growth of new neurons in hippocampus - reverses effects of stress

Question 26

types of attachment

Answer 26

- secure - anxious-resistant didn't explore as much, distraught, resists mom when back, mom is overreactive - anxious-avoidant doesn't react to mom when back, didn't explore as much, mom is under- reactive - disorganized inconsistent parenting, most toxic and detrimental

Question 27

adult attachment styles

Answer 27

- secure - anxious-preoccupied uncomfy being without close relationships, constantly seeking reassurance - fearful-avoidant difficulty trusting others, but wants to - dismissive-avoidant doesn't want to rely on people

Question 28

why does oxytocin not solve everything?

Answer 28

- men with positive maternal relationships OT increases positive feelings - men with negative maternal relationships OT increases negative feelings

Question 29

sad babies and oxytocin study

Answer 29

- own baby crying OT increased insula OT decreased amygdala (reduce stress since you can take action to nurture) - physical force when baby cries mothers raised gently: OT increase -> less physical force mothers raised harsh: OT increase -> more physical force

Question 30

how does oxytocin change our genetics?

Answer 30

- depression particular oxytocin gene correlates separately for anxious or dismissive attachment - oxytocin receptor gene contributes to anxiety and depression interact with family and environment (epigenetics)

Question 31

dysregulated oxytocin?

Answer 31

- lower levels likely to be suicidal - child abuse survivors - increase drug use/addiction

Question 32

addiction and isolation

Answer 32

rat isolated showed increase cocaine motivation

Question 33

oxytocin and addiction study

Answer 33

- repetitive cocaine -> decrease hypothalamic OT production - OT reduces methamphetamine effects (stimulant) - given meth -> increase nucleus accumbens - given meth/oxytocin -> less nucleus accumbens (trust) OT injection -> OT stimulates hypothalamus positive brain changes -> positive life changes

Question 34

how to activate OT

Answer 34

talk to friends make new friends hug someone get a massage get a dog practice gratitude

Question 35

relationship drives

Answer 35

- attraction (dopamine) - attachment (OT/vassopressin) - lust (testes and ovaries)

Question 36

brain regions involved with love?

Answer 36

- anterior cingulate (more attention to partner) - caudate nucleus (rewarding/habits: nuc. acum. and d.s) - ventral tegmental area (dopamine producer) - thalamus (senses) - anterior insula (insulate phsyical feeling of butterflies due to love) temporo-parietal region (angular gyrus: process sense of self in relation to others and feeling connected)

Question 37

what brain parts are activated in love vs lust?

Answer 37

lust: increase nucleus accumbens, hypothalamus, and amygdala - more impulse, rewarding, anxious yet fun

Question 38

prairie vs montane voles

Answer 38

prairie: monogamous many OT/vasopressin receptors (trust, comfort, connected) montane: promiscuous less OT receptors/vasopressin receptors (less attachment -> cheating) - women with certain gene for vasopressin -> cheating - men with gene for lower dopamine receptor sensitivity -> cheating