title: The neural sociometer: brain mechanisms underlying state self-esteem.
abstract: On the basis of the importance of social connection for survival, humans may have evolved a "sociometer"-a mechanism that translates perceptions of rejection or acceptance into state self-esteem. Here, we explored the neural underpinnings of the sociometer by examining whether neural regions responsive to rejection or acceptance were associated with state self-esteem. Participants underwent fMRI while viewing feedback words ("interesting," "boring") ostensibly chosen by another individual (confederate) to describe the participant's previously recorded interview. Participants rated their state self-esteem in response to each feedback word. Results demonstrated that greater activity in rejection-related neural regions (dorsal ACC, anterior insula) and mentalizing regions was associated with lower-state self-esteem. Additionally, participants whose self-esteem decreased from prescan to postscan versus those whose self-esteem did not showed greater medial prefrontal cortical activity, previously associated with self-referential processing, in response to negative feedback. Together, the results inform our understanding of the origin and nature of our feelings about ourselves.
authors: University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA. neisenbe@ucla.edu
authors: Naomi I
authors: NI
authors: Eisenberger
authors: Tristen K
authors: TK
authors: Inagaki
authors: Keely A
authors: KA
authors: Muscatell
authors: Kate E
authors: KE
authors: Byrne Haltom
authors: Mark R
authors: MR
authors: Leary
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D012963:Sociometric Techniques; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen