The social brain: neural basis of social knowledge.
Social cognition in humans is distinguished by psychological processes that allow us to make inferences about what is going on inside other people-their intentions, feelings, and thoughts. Some of these processes likely account for aspects of human social behavior that are unique, such as our culture and civilization. Most schemes divide social information processing into those processes that are relatively automatic and driven by the stimuli, versus those that are more deliberative and controlled, and sensitive to context and strategy. These distinctions are reflected in the neural structures that underlie social cognition, where there is a recent wealth of data primarily from functional neuroimaging. Here I provide a broad survey of the key abilities, processes, and ways in which to relate these to data from cognitive neuroscience.
Adolphs
Ralph
R
California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, California 91125, USA. radolphs@caltech.edu
D000679:Amygdala; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004645:Empathy; D005149:Facial Expression; D006801:Humans; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D018187:Personal Construct Theory; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior
Psychol Sci. 2003 Nov;14(6):644-7
14629700
Nature. 1999 Jun 17;399(6737):682-5
10385119
Neuroimage. 2005 Dec;28(4):757-62
16325141
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2007 Apr 29;362(1480):649-58
17301028
Dev Neuropsychol. 2000;18(3):281-96
11385828
Science. 2004 Oct 15;306(5695):503-7
15486304
Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2007 Mar;2(1):3-11
18985115
Nat Neurosci. 2004 May;7(5):499-500
15077111
Brain Res. 2006 Mar 24;1079(1):25-35
16507301
Nat Rev Neurosci. 2006 Apr;7(4):268-77
16552413
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Nov 7;103(45):17053-7
17075063
Brain. 2005 Dec;128(Pt 12):2872-81
16195242
Science. 2008 Apr 4;320(5872):113-5
18388296
J Comp Neurol. 2005 Jun 13;486(4):295-317
15846786
Trends Cogn Sci. 2004 Nov;8(11):501-7
15491904
Neuron. 2005 Feb 17;45(4):625-35
15721247
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Mar 7;103(10):3858-62
16497832
Nat Rev Neurosci. 2008 Apr;9(4):267-77
18354399
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2006 Dec 29;361(1476):2109-28
17118927
Perspect Psychol Sci. 2007 Jun;2(2):99-123
26151956
Curr Biol. 2007 Dec 4;17(23):2067-72
17997310
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 May 23;103(21):8275-80
16702548
Nat Neurosci. 2004 Oct;7(10):1048-54
15452576
Nature. 1994 Dec 15;372(6507):669-72
7990957
Trends Cogn Sci. 2007 Jul;11(7):280-9
17548232
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2006 Dec 29;361(1476):2129-41
17118928
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 Oct;85(4):594-604
14561114
Behav Brain Res. 1990 Dec 14;41(2):81-94
2288668
Nat Neurosci. 2000 Aug;3(8):764-9
10903568
Trends Cogn Sci. 2002 Dec 1;6(12):517-523
12475712
Nature. 2002 Jan 10;415(6868):137-40
11805825
Genet Soc Gen Psychol Monogr. 1997 May;123(2):133-67
9204544
Nat Rev Neurosci. 2001 Feb;2(2):129-36
11252992
Nature. 2006 Jun 15;441(7095):876-9
16778890
Nat Rev Neurosci. 2006 Oct;7(10):818-27
16988657
Science. 2007 May 18;316(5827):998-1002
17510357
Nat Rev Neurosci. 2005 Oct;6(10):799-809
16276356
Trends Cogn Sci. 2005 May;9(5):242-9
15866151
Cogn Behav Neurol. 2005 Mar;18(1):55-67
15761277
Nat Rev Neurosci. 2003 Mar;4(3):165-78
12612630
Nat Neurosci. 2005 Jun;8(6):828-34
15880108
Proc Biol Sci. 2003 Apr 22;270(1517):819-26
12737660
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Nov 12;99(23):15238-43
12417766
Emotion. 2006 May;6(2):269-78
16768559
Biol Lett. 2006 Dec 22;2(4):557-60
17148287
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999 Jun 30;882:119-27; discussion 128-34
10415890
Cereb Cortex. 2000 Mar;10(3):206-19
10731217
Trends Cogn Sci. 2003 Apr;7(4):153-156
12691762
Nat Rev Neurosci. 2001 Oct;2(10):685-94
11584306
Neuroimage. 2003 Aug;19(4):1273-302
12948688
Trends Cogn Sci. 2003 Apr;7(4):157-160
12691763
Curr Biol. 2008 Mar 25;18(6):454-7
18356050
Science. 2004 Dec 10;306(5703):1903-7
15591194
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Nov 9;101(45):16075-80
15501919
Nat Neurosci. 2007 Feb;10(2):257-61
17237774
Dev Neuropsychol. 2000;18(3):355-81
11385830
Science. 2004 May 21;304(5674):1167-70
15155951
Nature. 1997 May 8;387(6629):173-6
9144286
Trends Cogn Sci. 2007 Feb;11(2):77-83
17188552
Psychol Sci. 2007 Apr;18(4):292-7
17470250
Nat Neurosci. 2002 Mar;5(3):272-6
11850633
Neuron. 2001 Dec 20;32(6):969-79
11754830
Neuron. 2004 Oct 14;44(2):389-400
15473975
Nature. 1995 May 11;375(6527):121-3
7753166
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1996 Oct 29;351(1346):1413-20
8941953
J Neurosci. 2007 May 30;27(22):5958-66
17537966
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2007 Apr 29;362(1480):659-69
17301027
Science. 2004 Feb 20;303(5661):1157-62
14976305
Science. 2003 Oct 10;302(5643):290-2
14551436
Nature. 2006 Jan 26;439(7075):466-9
16421576
Am Psychol. 2001 Sep;56(9):717-34
11558357
Neurology. 1985 Dec;35(12):1731-41
4069365
Nat Rev Neurosci. 2005 Jul;6(7):533-44
15995724
Neuropsychologia. 1991;29(12):1241-9
1791934
Psychol Sci. 2006 Aug;17(8):692-9
16913952
Nat Neurosci. 1999 Nov;2(11):1032-7
10526345
Psychol Sci. 2004 Dec;15(12):822-8
15563327
J Neurosci. 1997 Jun 1;17(11):4302-11
9151747
Science. 2007 Sep 7;317(5843):1360-6
17823346
J Cogn Neurosci. 2004 Dec;16(10):1730-45
15701225
Nature. 2005 Jan 6;433(7021):68-72
15635411
Science. 2007 Sep 7;317(5843):1344-7
17823343
Science. 1970 Jan 2;167(3914):86-7
4982211
Trends Cogn Sci. 2006 Oct;10(10):435-41
16949331
Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2006 Dec;16(6):660-7
17085039
Nat Neurosci. 2007 Sep;10(9):1214-21
17676057
Trends Cogn Sci. 2004 Sep;8(9):396-403
15350240
Trends Cogn Sci. 2006 Oct;10(10):471-6
16942896
Nature. 2007 Feb 15;445(7129):727-31
17301784
Neuron. 2001 Aug 30;31(4):661-8
11545724
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Aug 9;102(32):11140-7
16055557
J Cogn Neurosci. 2000 Sep;12(5):729-38
11054916
Nat Neurosci. 2000 Feb;3(2):191-7
10649576
Psychophysiology. 1994 Mar;31(2):113-28
8153248
Annu Rev Neurosci. 2004;27:169-92
15217330
Science. 2001 Sep 28;293(5539):2425-30
11577229
Curr Biol. 2007 Aug 21;17(16):R724-32
17714666
Nature. 2004 Sep 16;431(7006):299-302
15372030
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2007 Apr 29;362(1480):731-44
17264056
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2006 Dec 29;361(1476):2091-107
17118926
Neuron. 2007 Oct 4;56(1):185-96
17920024
Brain Res. 2006 Mar 24;1079(1):76-85
16480692
Trends Cogn Sci. 2004 Dec;8(12):539-46
15556023
Trends Cogn Sci. 2005 May;9(5):250-7
15866152
J Comp Psychol. 2007 Aug;121(3):227-40
17696649
Science. 1994 May 20;264(5162):1102-5
8178168
Psychol Rev. 2001 Oct;108(4):814-34
11699120
Annu Rev Neurosci. 2001;24:167-202
11283309
Cereb Cortex. 2008 Feb;18(2):262-71
17551089
Am J Phys Anthropol. 2001 Mar;114(3):224-41
11241188
Nature. 2007 Apr 19;446(7138):908-11
17377536
Science. 2005 Jun 10;308(5728):1623-6
15947187
Science. 2003 Nov 14;302(5648):1181-5
14615530
Trends Cogn Sci. 2007 Mar;11(3):97-104
17276131
Brain. 1995 Feb;118 ( Pt 1):279-306
7895011
Nat Neurosci. 2002 Sep;5(9):900-4
12145636
Perspect Psychol Sci. 2008 Jan;3(1):73-9
18584056
Curr Biol. 2003 Apr 29;13(9):763-6
12725735
Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2006 Apr;16(2):235-9
16546372
J Hum Evol. 2000 Feb;38(2):317-32
10656781
Science. 2006 Feb 3;311(5761):670-4
16456083
Nat Neurosci. 2000 Aug;3(8):759-63
10903567
Nature. 2005 Oct 27;437(7063):1357-9
16251965
Psychol Sci. 2006 Jul;17(7):592-8
16866745
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 May 8;98(10):5937-42
11331768
Neuropsychologia. 1996 Apr;34(4):247-61
8657356
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 May 15;104(20):8235-40
17485679
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2007 Apr 29;362(1480):671-8
17255010
Trends Cogn Sci. 2005 Apr;9(4):159-62; discussion 162-4
15808493
Science. 2005 Apr 29;308(5722):662-7
15860620
Trends Cogn Sci. 2007 Dec;11(12):499-500
18024182
Science. 2007 Sep 7;317(5843):1347-51
17823344
Annu Rev Psychol. 2007;58:259-89
17002553
Nature. 2005 Mar 24;434(7032):470-7
15724148
Nature. 1998 Mar 12;392(6672):177-9
9515961
Science. 2007 Sep 7;317(5843):1402-5
17823353
Nat Rev Neurosci. 2002 Aug;3(8):655-66
12154366
Psychol Rev. 2007 Oct;114(4):864-86
17907867
Proc Biol Sci. 2005 Sep 22;272(1575):1865-75
16191591
J Cogn Neurosci. 2003 Apr 1;15(3):324-37
12729486
Psychol Bull. 2000 Nov;126(6):925-45
11107883
Trends Cogn Sci. 2007 May;11(5):194-6
17344090
Curr Biol. 2006 Oct 24;16(20):2023-9
17055981
Trends Cogn Sci. 2006 Dec;10(12):529-32
17071129
Cereb Cortex. 1996 Mar-Apr;6(2):215-25
8670652
Neuroimage. 2007 Aug 1;37(1):116-29
17543543
Trends Cogn Sci. 2007 Feb;11(2):49-57
17188554
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1997 Fall;9(4):606-20
9447506