The default self: feeling good or being right?
The medial prefrontal cortex exhibits a higher resting metabolic rate than many other brain regions. This physiological default mode might support a psychological default state of chronic self-evaluation that helps people consider their strengths and weaknesses when planning future actions. However, a recent imaging study that relates medial prefrontal cortex activity to self-evaluation raises new questions about whether the psychological default mode of self-evaluation is best characterized by accurate self-evaluations or by feeling good about yourself.
Beer
Jennifer S
JS
University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA. beer@psy.utexas.edu
D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D012649:Self Concept