Identification of neural circuits that determine cooperation and competition in hierarchical relationships

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21562
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 51:Brain sciences and related fields
• Research Institution: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
• Principal Investigator: Haruno Masahiko 国立研究開発法人情報通信研究機構, 未来ICT研究所脳情報通信融合研究センター, 室長 (40395124)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 田村 弘 大阪大学, 大学院生命機能研究科, 准教授 (80304038) ; 渡邉 慶 大阪大学, 大学院生命機能研究科, 准教授 (00772740)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 支配関係 / 協力 / 競合 / fMRI / 霊長類

Outline of Final Research Achievements

By sandwiching a high-resolution transparent display between transparent touch panels, we constructed a social behavior experimental system that allows for touch-based action selection while viewing the identity and detailed facial expressions of the other party. We conducted an experiment under social conditions where subordinate macaques could choose between options where both their own rewards and the amount of air puffs for the superior opponent were either large or small. As a result, it was found that both macaques, despite differing frequencies, chose the prosocial option to reduce the opponent's air puffs even at the cost of their own rewards. This demonstrates clear altruistic behavior by the macaques in an experimental environment. This study was conducted in collaboration with Associate Professor Kei Watanabe of Osaka University.

Free Research Field

計算論的社会脳科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ヒトは複雑な構造を持つ社会で生きており、日々他者との力関係も考慮しつつ協力・競合のバランスを取る必要に迫られる。この序列関係の下での行動選択を誤れば組織や家庭の中で平和に生きることは困難である。しかし、序列関係のある者どうしが協力・競合を選択する脳内プロセスは未知であった。本研究ではヒトと、ヒトと同様に強固な序列関係を持ち高度な社会的意思決定が可能なマカクザルを被験者として、支配関係のある 複数被験者の協力・競合の脳内選択過程の一端を明らかにした。