Biology subjects

Hein, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Hein, G..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Self-Other Neural Representational Distinction is Associated with Distorted Social Predictions in Social Anxiety

Background: Social anxiety (SA) is characterized by distorted negative expectations about the future. Because optimism bias is inherently comparative, the extent to which these predictions reflect a fundamental disruption in self- versus other-referential processing remains poorly understood. Methods: Across two experiments, we investigated the mechanisms underlying social predictions in SA. In Experiment 1, individuals with high (n = 52, LSAS > 65) and low SA (n = 51, LSAS < 35) rated the future likelihood of positive and negative social outcomes for themselves or for a protagonist. In Experiment 2, 35 adults spanning a continuous spectrum of SA completed the task during fMRI. Behavior was analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Neurally, multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) quantified self-other representational distinctions, while a parametric general linear model (GLM) tracked neural sensitivity to likelihood predictions. Results: Behaviorally, higher SA was characterized by an attenuated optimism bias: individuals predicted a lower likelihood of positive outcomes, but a higher likelihood of negative outcomes, for themselves compared to others. Neurally, higher trait SA correlated with greater self-other representational distinction within the left pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC). Concurrently, the precuneus exhibited stronger parametric tracking of self-negative predictions versus others. Crucially, pgACC representational distinction during positive outcome processing significantly mediated the association between SA severity and heightened prediction-tracking in the precuneus. Conclusions: These findings offer a novel mechanistic framework, suggesting that an exaggerated neural segregation of the self from others drives hyper-vigilant, risk-sensitive social predictions in SA. This candidate circuit-level dynamic warrants further replication in clinical cohorts.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

Learning from ingroup experiences changes intergroup impressions

Living in multicultural societies, humans form impressions towards individuals of their own social groups (ingroup members) and of different social groups (outgroup members). Some psychological theories predict that intergroup impressions are mainly shaped by experiences with outgroup individuals ("outgroup focused theories"), while other theories predict that ingroup experiences play a dominant role ("ingroup focused theories"). Here we test predictions from these two psychological theories by estimating how intergroup impressions are dynamically shaped when people learn from both ingroup and outgroup experiences. Participants expected to receive painful shocks but were saved from pain by different ingroup or outgroup members in 75% of all trials. We measured neural responses using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and participants rated their social closeness as well as impressions towards the ingroup and the outgroup. Behavioral results showed an initial ingroup bias in impression ratings which was significantly reduced over the course of learning. Computational learning models revealed that these changes in intergroup impressions were predicted by the weight given to ingroup prediction errors. The weight of the ingroup prediction error and its effect on intergroup impression change was stronger the more individuals identified with their ingroup. On the neural level, the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) encoded more negative prediction errors for the ingroup compared to the outgroup. Moreover, stronger weight for ingroup prediction errors was related to increased neural coupling between the left IPL and the anterior insula (AI). This coupling further predicted learning-related changes in intergroup impressions. Together, our work provides computational and neural evidence for "ingroup focused theories", highlighting the importance of ingroup experiences in shaping social impressions in intergroup settings.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

Financial incentives facilitate the neural computation of prosocial decisions stronger in low empathic individuals

Financial incentives are commonly used to motivate behaviours. There is also evidence that incentives can decline the behaviour they are supposed to foster, for example, documented by a decrease in blood donations if a financial incentive is offered. Based on these findings, previous studies assumed that prosocial motivation is shaped by incentives. However, so far, there is no direct evidence showing an interaction between financial incentives and a specific prosocial motive. Combining drift-diffusion modelling and fMRI, we investigated the effect of financial incentives on empathy, i.e., one of the key motives driving prosocial decisions. In the empathy-alone condition, participants made prosocial decisions based on empathy, in the empathy-bonus condition, they were offered a financial bonus for prosocial decisions, in addition to empathy induction. On average, the bonus enhanced the information accumulation in empathy-based decision. On the neural level, this enhancement was related to the anterior insula, the same region that also correlated with empathy ratings. Moreover, the effect of the financial incentive on anterior insula activation was stronger the lower a person scored on empathy. These findings show that financial incentives enhance prosocial motivation in the absence of empathy but have little effect on high empathic individuals.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

The neural computation of human goal-directed behavior in complex motivational states

Motives motivate human behavior. Most behaviors are driven by more than one motive, yet it is unclear how different motives interact and how such motive combinations affect the neural computation of the behaviors they drive. To answer this question, we induced two prosocial motives simultaneously (multi-motive condition) and separately (single motive conditions). After the different motive inductions, participants performed the same choice task in which they allocated points in favor of the other person (prosocial choice) or in favor of themselves (egoistic choice). We used fMRI to assess prosocial choice-related brain responses and drift diffusion modelling to specify how motive combinations affect individual components of the choice process. Our results showed that the combination of the two motives in the multi-motive condition increased participants choice biases prior to the behavior itself. On the neural level, these changes in initial prosocial bias were associated with neural responses in the bilateral dorsal striatum. In contrast, the efficiency of the prosocial decision process was comparable between the multi-motive and the single-motive conditions. These findings provide insights into the computation of prosocial choices in complex motivational states, the motivational setting that drives most human behaviors. HighlightsO_LIActivating different social motives simultaneously can enhance prosocial choices C_LIO_LIMulti-motive combinations change initial prosocial biases C_LIO_LIDorso-striatal activation increases with larger increase of prosocial bias C_LIO_LIMulti-motive combinations modulate relative response caution C_LI

neuroscience↗