An experimental study for the relationship between individual differences in social cognition, eye-gaze Simon effect, and cortical activity

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K04309
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social psychology
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Wakabayashi Akio 千葉大学, 大学院人文科学研究院, 教授 (30175062)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 社会的認知 / 認知スタイル / 視線サイモン効果 / 皮質血流 / 個人差

Outline of Final Research Achievements

On the RT differences between consistency and inconsistency condition of the directions of eye-gaze and reaction (key press) participants in the E-type (Empathizers) showed significantly longer than those in the S-type (Systemizers). On the blood flow in the cortex which were measured by fNIRS, cortical blood flaw increased in both lateral areas (right temporal: 22-24, 32-35, 43-45ch, and left temporal: 29-31, 39-42, 50-52ch) in the participants of the type E, while cortical blood flaw increased in the pre-frontal area (25-28, 36-38, 46-49ch) in the participants of the S-type , when they processed eye-gaze Simon task. Those results suggest that people in type-E tend to process eye-gaze (like) stimuli as a sort of emotional, while people in type-S tend to process eye-gaze (like) stimuli as a sort of objects (non-emotional).

Free Research Field

心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

認知スタイルが異なる参加者では，視線サイモン課題における反応時間に違いが認められただけでなく，課題遂行中の皮質血流状態に違いが認められた。E-type の参加者（Empathizer）では，視線刺激の処理中に側頭部の血流量が増加したのに対して，S-type の参加者では，同じ視線刺激処理中に前頭前野の血流量が増加した。
この結果は，同様の視線処理を必要とする認知負荷時において，賦活する脳皮質の部位が異なり，同様の刺激を E-type では情動的刺激として，S-type では非情動的（物的）刺激として処理していたことを示唆し，認知スタイルにより脳機能に違いがあることを示している。