Brain activation associated with evaluative processes of guilt and embarrassment: an fMRI study
Brain activation associated with evaluative processes of guilt and embarrassment: an fMRI study
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DOI：
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.07.054
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发表时间：
2004-11
期刊：
影响因子：
5.7
通讯作者：
Hidehiko Takahashi;N. Yahata;M. Koeda;T. Matsuda;K. Asai;Y. Okubo
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Hidehiko Takahashi;N. Yahata;M. Koeda;T. Matsuda;K. Asai;Y. Okubo
本研究旨在探讨道德情绪评价过程的神经机制。本研究采用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）技术，在神经基础水平上探讨了内疚和尴尬评价过程的异同。对道德情感判断的神经基础的研究可能有助于更好地理解在神经和精神疾病中观察到的不道德行为。研究了19名健康志愿者。参与者在扫描过程中阅读带有中性，有罪或尴尬内容的句子。内疚和尴尬状态通常都会激活内侧前额叶皮层（MPFC）、左后上级颞沟（STS）和视觉皮层。与内疚条件相比，尴尬条件在右颞叶皮层（前部）、双侧海马和视觉皮层产生了更大的激活。这些区域中的大多数都与社会认知或心理理论（ToM）的神经基质有关。我们的研究结果支持了这两种情绪都是自我意识情绪的观点，这是一种社会情绪，需要能够代表他人的精神状态。与此同时，我们的功能性磁共振成像数据支持这样一种观点，即对尴尬的评价过程可能比内疚的过程更复杂。
We aimed to investigate the neural substrates associated with evaluative process of moral emotions. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined the similarities and differences between evaluative process of guilt and that of embarrassment at the neural basis level. Study of the neural basis of judgments of moral emotions might contribute to a better understanding of the amoral behavior observed in neurological and psychiatric disorders. Nineteen healthy volunteers were studied. The participants read sentences carrying neutral, guilty, or embarrassing contents during the scans. Both guilt and embarrassment conditions commonly activated the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), left posterior superior temporal sulcus (STS), and visual cortex. Compared to guilt condition, embarrassment condition produced greater activation in the right temporal cortex (anterior), bilateral hippocampus, and visual cortex. Most of these regions have been implicated in the neural substrate of social cognition or Theory of Mind (ToM). Our results support the idea that both are self-conscious emotions, which are social emotions requiring the ability to represent the mental states of others. At the same time, our functional fMRI data are in favor of the notion that evaluative process of embarrassment might be a more complex process than that of guilt.