Matthew Lieberman | University of California, Los Angeles (original) (raw)

Papers by Matthew Lieberman

Abstract A reliable observation in neuroimaging studies of cognitive control is the response of d... more Abstract A reliable observation in neuroimaging studies of cognitive control is the response of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) to events that demand increased cognitive control (eg, response conflicts and performance errors). This observation is apparently at odds with a comparably reliable association of the dACC with the subjective experience of negative affective states such as pain, fear, and anxiety.

Over the last several decades there have been multiple shifts in the relative emphasis of mental ... more Over the last several decades there have been multiple shifts in the relative emphasis of mental processes versus behavior in psychological science, particularly in social psychology.

Social Pain/Physical Pain Overlap Theory (SPOT)(Eisenberger & Lieberman, in press) proposes that ... more Social Pain/Physical Pain Overlap Theory (SPOT)(Eisenberger & Lieberman, in press) proposes that social pain, the pain that we experience when social relationships are damaged or lost, and physical pain, the pain that we experience upon physical injury, share parts of the same underlying processing system. This system is responsible for detecting the presence or possibility of physical or social damage and recruiting attention once something has gone wrong in order to fix it. Evolutionarily, this overlap makes good sense.

Abstract Human cooperation may partly depend on the presence of individuals willing to incur pers... more Abstract Human cooperation may partly depend on the presence of individuals willing to incur personal costs to punish non-cooperators. The psychological factors that motivate such 'altruistic punishment'are not fully understood; some have argued that altruistic punishment is a deliberate act of norm enforcement that requires self-control, while others claim that it is an impulsive act driven primarily by emotion.

Our capacity for self# control is unquestionably one of the things that separates man from the be... more Our capacity for self# control is unquestionably one of the things that separates man from the beasts and yet, like most psychological capacities, it is typically taken for granted. This capacity is unique, complex, and responsible for most human accomplishments being accomplishments rather than half# baked ideas that never leave the drawing board. Self# control allows us to persist in the face of other appealing options and to adapt rather than being slaves to our impulses.

Although a great deal of research addresses the neural basis of deliberate and intentional emotio... more Although a great deal of research addresses the neural basis of deliberate and intentional emotion-regulation strategies, less attention has been paid to the neural mechanisms involved in implicit forms of emotion regulation. Behavioural research suggests that romantically involved participants implicitly derogate the attractiveness of alternative partners, and the present study sought to examine the neural basis of this effect.

Persuasion is at the root of countless social exchanges in which one person or group is motivated... more Persuasion is at the root of countless social exchanges in which one person or group is motivated to have another share its beliefs, desires, or behavioral intentions. Here, we report the first three functional magnetic resonance imaging studies to investigate the neurocognitive networks associated with feeling persuaded by an argument. In the first two studies, American and Korean participants, respectively, were exposed to a number of text-based persuasive messages.

Background Symbolic interactionism, one of the oldest and most influential psychological theories... more Background Symbolic interactionism, one of the oldest and most influential psychological theories of selfdevelopment, focuses on others' contributions to the self-concept by proposing that in various ways, we internalize others' beliefs about ourselves (Baldwin, 1895; Cooley, 1902; Mead, 1934). This approach emphasizes one internal process in

1. Objective: The current study tested whether neural activity in response to messages designed t... more 1. Objective: The current study tested whether neural activity in response to messages designed to help smokers quit could predict smoking reduction, above and beyond self-report. Design: Using neural activity in an a priori region of interest (a subregion of medial prefrontal cortex [MPFC]), in response to ads designed to help smokers quit smoking, we prospectively predicted reductions in smoking in a community sample of smokers (N= 28) who were attempting to quit smoking.

In their paper ��Conceptual Challenges in the Neuroimaging of Psychiatric Disorders,�� authors ... more In their paper ��Conceptual Challenges in the Neuroimaging of Psychiatric Disorders,�� authors Kanaan and McGuire review a number of methodological and analytical obstacles associated with the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study psychiatric disorders. While we agree that there are challenges and limitations to this end, it would be a shame for those without a background in neuroimaging to walk away from this article with the impression that such work is too daunting, and thus not worth pursuing.

Abstract Genes and culture are often thought of as opposite ends of the nature��nurture spectrum... more Abstract Genes and culture are often thought of as opposite ends of the nature��nurture spectrum, but here we examine possible interactions. Genetic association studies suggest that variation within the genes of central neurotransmitter systems, particularly the serotonin (5-HTTLPR, MAOA-uVNTR) and opioid (OPRM1 A118G), are associated with individual differences in social sensitivity, which reflects the degree of emotional responsivity to social events and experiences.

Prosocial decisions can be difficult because they often involve personal sacrifices that do not g... more Prosocial decisions can be difficult because they often involve personal sacrifices that do not generate any direct, immediate benefits to the self. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to understand how individuals decide to provide support to others. Twenty-five participants were scanned as they completed a task in which they made costly decisions to contribute money to their family and noncostly decisions to accept personal monetary rewards.

Gray's (1970) reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) was recently updated (Gray & McNaughton, 200... more Gray's (1970) reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) was recently updated (Gray & McNaughton, 2000), but the changes have not received extensive empirical validation. The study tests three novel predictions of the revised RST. First, the behavioral activation system (BAS) is expected to be sensitive to both conditioned and unconditioned incentives.

Background Symptom improvement in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) treatment trials varies widely, ... more Background Symptom improvement in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) treatment trials varies widely, with only 50��70% of patients qualifying as responders. Factors predicting treatment responsiveness are not known, although we have demonstrated that symptom improvement with the 5-HT 3 R antagonist alosetron is correlated with reduced amygdala activity. Aim To determine whether neural activity during rectal discomfort or psychological distress predicts symptom improvement following treatment with alosetron.

Abstract Five studies examined the automatic and controlled components of attributional inference... more Abstract Five studies examined the automatic and controlled components of attributional inference in US and East Asian (EA) samples. Studies 1-3 used variations of the ��anxious woman�� paradigm (Gilbert, 1989) manipulating the inferential goal (dispositional or situational) and the normative impact of situational constraint information (discounting or augmenting).

At every turn and at each moment in our daily lives we are making countless implicit judgments an... more At every turn and at each moment in our daily lives we are making countless implicit judgments and decisions that allow us to seamlessly make sense of and navigate our social world.

Abstract The neural basis of action understanding in humans remains disputed, with some research ... more Abstract The neural basis of action understanding in humans remains disputed, with some research implicating the putative mirror neuron system (MNS) and some a mentalizing system (MZS) for inferring mental states. The basis for this dispute may be that action understanding is a heterogeneous construct: actions can be understood from sensory information about body movements or from language about action, and with the goal of understanding the implementation (��how��) or motive (��why��) of an action.

Discordant development of brain regions responsible for cognitive control and reward processing m... more Discordant development of brain regions responsible for cognitive control and reward processing may render adolescents susceptible to risk taking. Identifying ways to reduce this neural imbalance during adolescence can have important implications for risk taking and associated health outcomes. Accordingly, we sought to examine how a key family relationship��family obligation��can reduce this vulnerability.

Abstract Previous neuroimaging research with adults suggests that the medial prefrontal cortex (M... more Abstract Previous neuroimaging research with adults suggests that the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and the medial posterior parietal cortex (MPPC) are engaged during self-knowledge retrieval processes. However, this has yet to be assessed in a developmental sample. Twelve children and 12 adults (average age= 10.2 and 26.1 years, respectively) reported whether short phrases described themselves or a highly familiar other (Harry Potter) while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Abstract Can neural responses of a small group of individuals predict the behavior of large-scale... more Abstract Can neural responses of a small group of individuals predict the behavior of large-scale populations? In this investigation, brain activation of current smokers was recorded while they viewed television campaigns promoting the National Cancer Institute's tobacco quit line (1-800-QUIT-NOW). These same smokers also provided self-report predictions of the campaigns' relative effectiveness.