Social working memory(SWM)—the ability to maintain and manipulate social information in the brain—plays a crucial role in social interactions.However,research on SWM is still in its infancy and is often treated as a...Social working memory(SWM)—the ability to maintain and manipulate social information in the brain—plays a crucial role in social interactions.However,research on SWM is still in its infancy and is often treated as a unitary construct.In the present study,we propose that SWM can be conceptualized as having two relatively independent components:"externally oriented SWM"(e-SWM)and"internally oriented SWM"(i-SWM).To test this external–internal hypothesis,participants were tasked with memorizing and ranking either facial expressions(e-SWM)or personality traits(i-SWM)associated with images of faces.We then examined the neural correlates of these two SWM components and their functional roles in empathy.The results showed distinct activations as the e-SWM task activated the postcentral and precentral gyri while the i-SWM task activated the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex and superior frontal gyrus.Distinct multivariate activation patterns were also found within the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex in the two tasks.Moreover,partial least squares analyses combining brain activation and individual differences in empathy showed that e-SWM and i-SWM brain activities were mainly correlated with affective empathy and cognitive empathy,respectively.These findings implicate distinct brain processes as well as functional roles of the two types of SWM,providing support for the internal–external hypothesis of SWM.展开更多
Representing the mental state of the partner lays the foundation for successful social interaction.While the representation of group members has been extensively studied,it is unclear how intergroup interactions affec...Representing the mental state of the partner lays the foundation for successful social interaction.While the representation of group members has been extensively studied,it is unclear how intergroup interactions affect it.In three experiments utilizing the joint flanker task,we found that competition between groups brought about a greater joint flanker effect(Experiment 1).Such phenomenon was not due to competition per se,as competition that occurred between individuals from different groups did not enhance the joint flanker effect(Experiment 2).Using the minimal grouping method to directly manipulate group entitativity,we found that the joint flanker effect was larger when participants perceived the group as being more closely connected;conversely,when they perceived the group as less close,the joint flanker effect was attenuated(Experiment 3).These results suggested that beliefs about the group may be key to how group competition enhanced the joint flanker effect.The potential cognitive mechanisms producing this phenomenon are fully discussed.Overall,our study is the first to explore the impact of intergroup interactions on the joint flanker effect and provides a new perspective on understanding the relationship between within-group representations and intergroup interactions.展开更多
The moment we open our eyes,we experience a rich and detailed visual world,but the amount of information available to report is rather limited.This dissociation relates to a major debate regarding the nature of visual...The moment we open our eyes,we experience a rich and detailed visual world,but the amount of information available to report is rather limited.This dissociation relates to a major debate regarding the nature of visual consciousness.The overflow argument suggests that our conscious experience is quite rich and far beyond what can be reported,standing in sharp contrast to the nooverflow argument that visual consciousness is severely impoverished and limited to what can be reported.In this paper,we systematically reviewed existing evidence in favor of the overflow argument,including studies of several variations of the iconic memory paradigm and the divided attention paradigm,as well as studies of neural correlates of consciousness.Simultaneously,we expounded some critical objections and alternative interpretations to such evidence,as well as some opposing evidence.Finally,we introduced a series of our recent studies based on a striking phenomenon of attribute amnesia,which we believe could provide new insight into the overflow view of visual consciousness.展开更多
基金supported by the Key Program of Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(LZ20C090001)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32271090,32171031,and 32071044)the China Brain Project(2021ZD0200409).
文摘Social working memory(SWM)—the ability to maintain and manipulate social information in the brain—plays a crucial role in social interactions.However,research on SWM is still in its infancy and is often treated as a unitary construct.In the present study,we propose that SWM can be conceptualized as having two relatively independent components:"externally oriented SWM"(e-SWM)and"internally oriented SWM"(i-SWM).To test this external–internal hypothesis,participants were tasked with memorizing and ranking either facial expressions(e-SWM)or personality traits(i-SWM)associated with images of faces.We then examined the neural correlates of these two SWM components and their functional roles in empathy.The results showed distinct activations as the e-SWM task activated the postcentral and precentral gyri while the i-SWM task activated the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex and superior frontal gyrus.Distinct multivariate activation patterns were also found within the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex in the two tasks.Moreover,partial least squares analyses combining brain activation and individual differences in empathy showed that e-SWM and i-SWM brain activities were mainly correlated with affective empathy and cognitive empathy,respectively.These findings implicate distinct brain processes as well as functional roles of the two types of SWM,providing support for the internal–external hypothesis of SWM.
基金supported by the Philosophy and Social Science Planning Project of Zhejiang Province(24NDQN067YB)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant 32371088,32071044).
文摘Representing the mental state of the partner lays the foundation for successful social interaction.While the representation of group members has been extensively studied,it is unclear how intergroup interactions affect it.In three experiments utilizing the joint flanker task,we found that competition between groups brought about a greater joint flanker effect(Experiment 1).Such phenomenon was not due to competition per se,as competition that occurred between individuals from different groups did not enhance the joint flanker effect(Experiment 2).Using the minimal grouping method to directly manipulate group entitativity,we found that the joint flanker effect was larger when participants perceived the group as being more closely connected;conversely,when they perceived the group as less close,the joint flanker effect was attenuated(Experiment 3).These results suggested that beliefs about the group may be key to how group competition enhanced the joint flanker effect.The potential cognitive mechanisms producing this phenomenon are fully discussed.Overall,our study is the first to explore the impact of intergroup interactions on the joint flanker effect and provides a new perspective on understanding the relationship between within-group representations and intergroup interactions.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31771201)National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of Zhejiang Province,China(LR19C090002)Humanities and Social Sciences Foundation of the Ministry of Education of China(17YJA190001)。
文摘The moment we open our eyes,we experience a rich and detailed visual world,but the amount of information available to report is rather limited.This dissociation relates to a major debate regarding the nature of visual consciousness.The overflow argument suggests that our conscious experience is quite rich and far beyond what can be reported,standing in sharp contrast to the nooverflow argument that visual consciousness is severely impoverished and limited to what can be reported.In this paper,we systematically reviewed existing evidence in favor of the overflow argument,including studies of several variations of the iconic memory paradigm and the divided attention paradigm,as well as studies of neural correlates of consciousness.Simultaneously,we expounded some critical objections and alternative interpretations to such evidence,as well as some opposing evidence.Finally,we introduced a series of our recent studies based on a striking phenomenon of attribute amnesia,which we believe could provide new insight into the overflow view of visual consciousness.
