Neural basis underlying group establishment

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14491
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10040:Experimental psychology-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba (2021-2022); National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Nakata Mariko 筑波大学, 人間系, 助教 (00792409)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 社会行動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Social identity in group living enhances individual survival and reproductive success, but it also gives rise to issues such as ingroup bias and conflict. Understanding the biological basis of social identity is crucial. Therefore, in this research project, we created a model task for rodents to investigate the neural basis involved in group formation and maintenance, aiming to elucidate the biological underpinnings of social identity. We successfully developed a behavioral experimental paradigm called the "tug-of-war task," which allows us to observe the process of group formation by engaging mice in operant learning tasks as a group. Most groups of mice were able to master the tug-of-war task and obtain rewards within a few days. The study is still ongoing, and further analysis and discussion of the results are necessary.

Free Research Field

行動神経内分泌学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究計画では、マウスを用いた集団で行うオペラント学習課題を開発し、集団の形成や維持の過程を観察できるモデル実験系を作ることで、集団への所属に関する生物学的基盤を明らかにすることを試みた。集団の一員であるという感覚や、集団の一員になることで起こる行動変容は、いじめや差別を含む様々な社会問題に関連している。本研究の成果が広く社会に知られることは、それらの問題を解決する生物学的手段の開発に貢献しうる。