Open AccessModel-based representational similarity analysis of blood-oxygen-level-dependent fMRI captures threat learning in social interactions
Author(s) -
Irem Undeger,
Renée M. Visser,
Nina I. Becker,
Lieke de Boer,
Armita Golkar,
Andreas Olsson
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
royal society open science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 51
ISSN - 2054-5703
DOI - 10.1098/rsos.202116
Subject(s) - psychology , attribution , cognitive psychology , similarity (geometry) , anger , neuroimaging , blood oxygen level dependent , insula , social psychology , functional magnetic resonance imaging , artificial intelligence , computer science , neuroscience , image (mathematics)
Past research has shown that attributions of intentions to other's actions determine how we experience these actions and their consequences. Yet, it is unknown how such attributions affect our learning and memory. Addressing this question, we combined neuroimaging with an interactive threat learning paradigm in which two interaction partners (confederates) made choices that had either threatening (shock) or safe (no shock) consequences for the participants. Importantly, participants were led to believe that one partner intentionally caused the delivery of shock, whereas the other did not (i.e. unintentional partner). Following intentional versus unintentional shocks, participants reported an inflated number of shocks and a greater increase in anger and vengeance. We applied a model-based representational similarity analysis to blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD)-MRI patterns during learning. Surprisingly, we did not find any effects of intentionality. The threat value of actions, however, was represented as a trial-by-trial increase in representational similarity in the insula and the inferior frontal gyrus. Our findings illustrate how neural pattern formation can be used to study a complex interaction.