mind

1) Computation

What problem was the system designed to solve?

3

9

12.6

101

9.42

28.27

39.58

317.14

2) Algorithm

What is the step-by-step procedure for solving the problem?

Archimedes (287 - 212 BCE)

3.140845 < π < 3.142858

2) Algorithm

What is the step-by-step procedure for solving the problem?

Wallis (1616-1703)

with 60 iterations: π = 3.1159

with 170 iterations: π = 3.1324

2) Algorithm

What is the step-by-step procedure for solving the problem?

π = # inside circle4 # total

http://polymer.bu.edu/java/java/montepi/MontePi.html

2) Algorithm

What is the step-by-step procedure for solving the problem?

with 60 iterations: π = 3.1159

with 170 iterations: π = 3.1324

with 171 iterations: π = ?

3) Implementation

How is the solution realized physically?

π = # inside circle4 # total

3) Implementation

How is the solution realized physically?

Neuroimaging is great at asking one particular question:

• Are two phenomena the result of a single cognitive process or more than one cognitive process?

• Association and dissociation (see Henson, Trends Cogn Sci, 2006; Henson, Quarterly J of Exp Psychol, 2005)

Neuroimaging is great at asking one particular question:

• Are two phenomena the result of a single cognitive process or more than one cognitive process?

visual imagery visual perception

Visual perception Visual imagery

Kosslyn et al. (1993) J Cog Neuro

• Association and dissociation (see Henson, Trends Cogn Sci, 2006; Henson, Quarterly J of Exp Psychol, 2005)

Neuroimaging is great at asking one particular question:

• Are two phenomena the result of a single cognitive process or more than one cognitive process?

(Buckner & Schacter, 1998, Neuron)

• Association and dissociation (see Henson, Trends Cogn Sci, 2006; Henson, Quarterly J of Exp Psychol, 2005)

implicit memory explicit memory

“I suppose it is tempting, if all you have is a hammer, to treat every problem as if it were a nail.”

– Abraham Maslow, The Psychology of Science (1966)

“I suppose it is tempting, if all you have is a hammer, to treat every problem as if it were a nail.”

– Abraham Maslow, The Psychology of Science (1966)

Neuroimaging is a problematic tool

• expensive

• technically challenging

• imposes extreme methodological constraints

– limited to one DV

– limited range of measurable behaviors

– one person at a time (no groups)

– requires dozens of within-subject trials

How has fMRI addressed social psychological questions?

1) Is social cognition = nonsocial cognition?

2) Default mode of (social) cognition

3) Neural resonance

4) Self-reference effect in memory

Distinctiveness of social cognition

“One key question is whether general cognitive processes involved in perception, language, memory, and attention are sufficient to explain social competence, or whether over and above these general processes, there are specific processes that are special to social interaction.” (Blakemore, Winston, & Frith, 2004, p.216)

1) Inferences

2) Semantic knowledge

3) Episodic memory

Distinctiveness of social cognition inferences

False Belief test

Distinctiveness of social cognition inferences

Where will Sally look for her ball?

False Belief test

Most three-year-oldsMost of us

Distinctiveness of social cognition inferences

Neuro

typic

al

Autist

ic

(IQ

= 8

2)

Down

synd

rom

e (IQ

= 6

2)0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Distinctiveness of social cognition inferences

False belief

Jenny put her chocolate away in the cupboard. Then she went outside. Alan moved the chocolate from the cupboard into the fridge. Half an hour later, Jenny came back inside.

Jenny expects to find her cholocate in the cupboard fridge

False photograph

A photograph was taken of an apple hanging on a tree branch. The film took half an hour to develop. In the meantime, a strong wind blew the apple to the ground.

The developed photograph shows the apple on theground branch

Distinctiveness of social cognition inferences

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

False belief False photograph

Percentage of Ss "passing"

Normal Autistic

Distinctiveness of social cognition inferences

Data courtesy of Rebecca Saxe

Distinctiveness of social cognition inferences

Beliefs > Photos

Distinctiveness of social cognition

“One key question is whether general cognitive processes involved in perception, language, memory, and attention are sufficient to explain social competence, or whether over and above these general processes, there are specific processes that are special to social interaction.” (Blakemore, Winston, & Frith, 2004, p.216)

1) Inferences

2) Semantic knowledge

3) Episodic memory

Distinctiveness of social cognition semantics

Distinctiveness of social cognition semantics

Left inferior frontal gyrus

Inferotemporal cortex

Distinctiveness of social cognition semantics

Be made of wood

Chairs Tables

Distinctiveness of social cognition semantics

Contreras, Banaji, & Mitchell (under review)

Fetch a ball

Cats Dogs

Distinctiveness of social cognition semantics

Contreras, Banaji, & Mitchell (under review)

Enjoy watching football

Men Women

Distinctiveness of social cognition semantics

Contreras, Banaji, & Mitchell (under review)

Paint their faces red

Cornell students Harvard students

Distinctiveness of social cognition semantics

Contreras, Banaji, & Mitchell (under review)

IT

IPL

IFG

Distinctiveness of social cognition semantics

nonsocial > social

Contreras, Banaji, & Mitchell (under review)

IT IPL IFG-1.00

-0.50

0.00

0.50

1.00

Social Nonsocial

Pa

ram

ete

r E

sti

ma

te

Distinctiveness of social cognition semantics

nonsocial > social

IT

IPL

IFG

Distinctiveness of social cognition semantics

social > nonsocialPCC dmPFC

vmPFC

PCC vmPFC dmPFC-1.00

-0.50

0.00

0.50

1.00

Social Nonsocial

Pa

ram

ete

r E

sti

ma

te

Distinctiveness of social cognition

“One key question is whether general cognitive processes involved in perception, language, memory, and attention are sufficient to explain social competence, or whether over and above these general processes, there are specific processes that are special to social interaction.” (Blakemore, Winston, & Frith, 2004, p.216)

1) Inferences

2) Semantic knowledge

3) Episodic memory

Processing information in a social manner produces qualitative changes

in episodic memory (Hastie & Kumar, 1979; Hamilton et al., 1980; Srull & Wyer, 1989)

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

(adapted from Hamilton et al., 1980)

He chose just the right tie to go with his shirt and slacks.

Form Impression

Mitchell, Macrae & Banaji (2004), J Neuroscience

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

He stepped on his girlfriend's feet while dancing.

Remember Order

Mitchell, Macrae & Banaji (2004), J Neuroscience

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

He stepped on his girlfriend's feet while dancing.

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

Form Impression

Remember Order

Form Impression

[statement 1]

[statement 2]

[statement 3]

[statement 4]

Remember Order

1) Distinct neural basis for impression

formation v. nonsocial orienting task?

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

Form Impression

Remember Order

Form Impression

Remember Order

[statement 1]

[statement 2]

[statement 3]

[statement 4]

1) Distinct neural basis for impression

formation v. nonsocial orienting task?

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

Impression formation > Sequencing

Impression formation

Sequencing

-0.10

0.00

0.10

0.20

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Peristimulus time (s)

Percent signal change

Mitchell, Macrae & Banaji (2004), J Neuroscience

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

Form Impression

Remember Order

Form Impression

[statement 1]

[statement 2]

[statement 3]

[statement 4]

Remember Order

2) Distinct brain regions critical for

successful memory encoding?

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

Form Impression

Remember Order

Form Impression

Remember Order

[statement 1]

[statement 2]

[statement 3]

[statement 4]

hit

miss

2) Distinct brain regions critical for

successful memory encoding?

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

Impression formation: hits > misses

Impression hits

Impression misses

-0.10

0.00

0.10

0.20

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Peristimulus time (s)

Percent signal change

Mitchell, Macrae & Banaji (2004), J Neuroscience

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

Impression formation: hits > misses

Mitchell, Macrae & Banaji (2004), J Neuroscience

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

Impression hits

Impression misses

Sequencing hits

Sequencing misses

-0.10

0.00

0.10

0.20

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Peristimulus time (s)

Percent signal change

Form Impression

Remember Order

Form Impression

Remember Order

[statement 1]

[statement 2]

[statement 3]

[statement 4]

hit

miss

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

Sequencing hits

Sequencing misses

Sequencing: hits > misses

-0.10

-0.05

0.00

0.05

0.10

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Peristimulus time (s)

Percent signal change

Mitchell, Macrae & Banaji (2004), J Neuroscience

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

Sequencing: hits > misses

Mitchell, Macrae & Banaji (2004), J Neuroscience

Distinctiveness of social cognition episodic memory

Impression hits

Impression misses

Sequencing hits

Sequencing misses

-0.10

-0.05

0.00

0.05

0.10

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Peristimulus time (s)

Percent signal change

“One of the hallmarks of social cognition is the influence of detailed

models from cognitive psychology. These models are important

because they precisely describe mechanisms of learning and

thinking that apply in a wide variety of areas, including social

perception. Because these models are general and because

cognitive processes presumably influence social behavior heavily, it

makes sense to adapt cognitive theory to social settings” (Fiske &

Taylor, 1984, pp. 1-2).

Distinctiveness of social cognition

How has fMRI addressed social psychological questions?

1) Is social cognition = nonsocial cognition?

2) Default mode of (social) cognition

3) Neural resonance

4) Self-reference effect in memory

How has fMRI addressed social psychological questions?

1) Is social cognition = nonsocial cognition?

2) Default mode of (social) cognition

3) Neural resonance

4) Self-reference effect in memory

Heider & Simmel (1944)

Medial PFCTemporo-parietal junction

Posterior medial parietal

Default state

Temporo-parietal junction

Medial prefrontal cortex

Posterior medial parietal cortex

Default state

How has fMRI addressed social psychological questions?

1) Is social cognition = nonsocial cognition?

2) Default mode of (social) cognition

3) Neural resonance

4) Self-reference effect in memory

How has fMRI addressed social psychological questions?

1) Is social cognition = nonsocial cognition?

2) Default mode of (social) cognition

3) Neural resonance

4) Self-reference effect in memory

Wicker et al., (2003), Neuron

Your disgust ≈ my disgust

‘Neural resonance’

see Rizzolatti & Craighero (2004), Annual Rev Neurosci

Your goals ≈ my goals

‘Neural resonance’

Your pain ≈ my pain

Singer et al. (2006)

-1

0

1

2

Female Ss Male Ss

Activation in ACC

Fair playerUnfair player

‘Neural resonance’

How has fMRI addressed social psychological questions?

1) Is social cognition = nonsocial cognition?

2) Default mode of (social) cognition

3) Neural resonance

4) Self-reference effect in memory

How has fMRI addressed social psychological questions?

1) Is social cognition = nonsocial cognition?

2) Default mode of (social) cognition

3) Neural resonance

4) Self-reference effect in memory

Self Deep Shallow

Memory advantage for information processed in relation to the self (Rogers, Kuiper, & Kirker, 1977; Symons & Johnson, 1997)

Why?

• special mnemonic powers

(Rogers et al., 1977)

(Greenwald & Banaji, 1989)

• powerful but ordinary

Self-reference effect

Depth-of-Processing effect:

Self Deep Shallow

Memory advantage for information processed in relation to the self

Self-reference effect

BUSH+

talkativeSELF+

daring+

CASE+

politeSELF+

DEPENDABLE

2.5 sec

Kelley et al. (2002), J Cog Neuro

Self-reference effect

-0.1

0.0

0.1

0.2

-5 0 5 10 15 20

OtherSelfCase

L IFG

SELF + OTHER > CASE

Kelley et al. (2002), J Cog Neuro

Self-reference effect

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0.0

0.1

-5 0 5 10 15 20

OtherSelfCase

Medial PFC

SELF > OTHER

Self-reference effect as distinct

Kelley et al. (2002), J Cog Neuro

Self-reference effect

How has fMRI addressed social psychological questions?

1) Is social cognition = nonsocial cognition?

2) Default mode of (social) cognition

3) Neural resonance

4) Self-reference effect in memory