Neural representations of social status hierarchy in human inferior parietal cortex.
Mental representations of social status hierarchy share properties with that of numbers. Previous neuroimaging studies have shown that the neural representation of numerical magnitude lies within a network of regions within inferior parietal cortex. However the neural basis of social status hierarchy remains unknown. Using fMRI, we studied subjects while they compared social status magnitude of people, objects and symbols, as well as numerical magnitude. Both social status and number comparisons recruited bilateral intraparietal sulci. We also observed a semantic distance effect whereby neural activity within bilateral intraparietal sulci increased for semantically close relative to far numerical and social status comparisons. These results demonstrate that social status and number comparisons recruit distinct and overlapping neuronal representations within human inferior parietal cortex.
Chiao
Joan Y
JY
Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. jchiao@northwestern.edu
Harada
Tokiko
T
Oby
Emily R
ER
Li
Zhang
Z
Parrish
Todd
T
Bridge
Donna J
DJ
D001336:Automobiles; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006608:Hierarchy, Social; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology; D012923:Social Class; D012938:Social Perception; D055815:Young Adult