Introduction

Introduction
Social cognition and Social neuroscience

Master Seminar WiSe23/24
Seminar Instructor
Dr Michael Edem Fiagbenu
(FSU-Jena)
1
Seminar outline
What is social cognition and social neuroscience?

What is the history of social cognitive neuroscience?
What are the available neuroscience techniques?
What are the expectations/topics of the seminar?
2
Ø What is social cognition?
• how we think and feel about ourselves and others
• the process of gathering information about ourselves and others and
using the information to make and guide our social decisions
• “the mental processes by which we make sense of our social worlds”
Quin (2003)
Ø What is social cognitive neuroscience?

• the interface between the nervous system, self and social interactions
• identifying the brain regions involved in social cognition
• the use neuroscience tools to study social cognition
• e.g., fMRI, EEG, TMS, lesions studies
3
Review of neuroscience
Areas of the brain involved in music training in children
research tools (Sachs et al. 2017)
(Liebermann, 2010)
Blood oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) fMRI
Detects magnetic properties of oxygenated blood

flowing to active brain areas involved in tasks and
takes a snap-shot of the areas
• non-invasive technique
• detects where (spatial resolution) there is brain
activity 4
https://www.academia.edu/621621/Social_cognitive_neuroscience
Review of neuroscience Types of EEG waves
research tools
(Liebermann, 2010)
Electro-encephalograhy (EEG)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-
biological-sciences/brain-waves
https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2020.00096
Detects electrical activity or “brain waves” from
groups of neurons firing in the outer layer of the cortex
• non-invasive technique
• detects when (temporal resolution) brain activity occur 5
research tools
(Liebermann, 2010)
Lesion studies
Vaidya, Pujara et al., 2019
Phineas Gage
Infer behaviour and psychological processes from damaged

brain areas
• invasive technique; detects where activity occurs
• can establish causal relationship between brain and behaviour
• rare used, because human lesions are rare 6
https://www.academia.edu/621621/Social_cognitive_neuroscience
research tools
(Liebermann, 2010)
Transcranial Magnetic stimulation (TMS)
Electromagnetic pulses are used to stimulate and inactivate

neurons in the cortex
• non-invasive technique; detects where activity occurs
• can establish causal relationship between brain and behaviour
• common procedure to induce temporary lesions
7
https://www.tobergmann.de/methods/ https://www.academia.edu/621621/Social_cognitive_neuroscience
research tools
(Liebermann, 2010)
8
Reflection question
1. Compare and contrast the different invasive and non-invasive

neuroscientific techniques.
2. What are the strengths and limitations of each of the
techniques?
3. What is meant by temporal and spatial resolution of
neuroscientific techniques?
9
The goals of social cognition
and social neuroscience
• “to identify the mental structures and processes that permit humans
to navigate their social worlds successfully by understanding the
psychological states (beliefs, emotions, goals, and so on) and traits
(stable dispositions) of the persons they encounter and with whom
they are interdependent”
Bodenhausen & Todd (2010)
• to understand and “control“ our behaviours and those of others

• to examine the processes that occur at the interface of self and others
Liebermann (2007)
10
Reflection question
Allthough neuroscientific methods have advanced our

understanding of the neurobiological origins of human behaviour
and social relations, some ”neurosceptics” who have questioned
whether such methods can really unravel the complexities and
intricacies of human behaviour even improve our everyday lives.
What are you views on this issue? Discuss some arguments for and
against neuroscepticism.
Rachul C, Zarzeczny A. The rise of neuroskepticism. Int J Law Psychiatry. 2012 doi:
10.1016/j.ijlp.2011.12.008. Epub 2012 Jan 20. PMID: 22261321.
Klein, E. (2011). Is there a need for clinical neuroskepticism? Neuroethics, 4(3),
251–259. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12152-010-9089-x
11
Reflection question
Discuss the historical origins social neuroscience?

(see Lieberman, 2010; 2012)
12

Introduction

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction

Social cognition and Social neuroscience

What is social cognition and social neuroscience?

Ø What is social cognitive neuroscience?

Blood oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) fMRI

Detects magnetic properties of oxygenated blood

Vaidya, Pujara et al., 2019

Infer behaviour and psychological processes from damaged

Vaidya, Pujara et al., 2019

Electromagnetic pulses are used to stimulate and inactivate

1. Compare and contrast the different invasive and non-invasive

• to understand and “control“ our behaviours and those of others

Allthough neuroscientific methods have advanced our

Discuss the historical origins social neuroscience?

You might also like