Unknown

Dataset Information

0

"An eye for an eye"? Neural correlates of retribution and forgiveness.


ABSTRACT: Humans have evolved strong preferences for equity and fairness. Neuroimaging studies suggest that punishing unfairness is associated with the activation of a neural network comprising the anterior cingulate cortex, anterior insula, the ventral striatum, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Here, we report the neuronal correlates of retribution and "forgiveness" in a scenario, in which individuals first acted as a recipient in an Ultimatum Game, and subsequently assumed the position of a proposer in a Dictator Game played against the same opponents as in the Ultimatum Game. Most subjects responded in a tit-for-tat fashion, which was accompanied by activation of the ventral striatum, corroborating previous findings that punishing unfair behaviour has a rewarding connotation. Subjects distinguished between the human opponent and computer condition by activation of the ventromedial PFC in the human condition, indicative of mentalising. A substantial number of subjects did not retaliate. Neurally, this "forgiveness" behaviour was associated with the activation of the right (and to a lesser degree left) DLPFC, a region that serves as a cognitive control region and thus may be involved in inhibiting emotional responses against unfairness.

SUBMITTER: Brune M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3756996 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

Similar Datasets

| S-EPMC4321620 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC3914861 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC10646512 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC9645655 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC10036874 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC3328342 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC7793486 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC5597872 | biostudies-other
| S-EPMC4189413 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC2569212 | biostudies-literature