Jung, D., Sul, S., Lee, M., & Kim, H. (2018). Social observation increases functional segregation between MPFC subregions predicting prosocial consumer decisions. Scientific reports, 8(1), 3368.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-21449-z

Abstract

Although it is now well documented that observation by others can be a powerful elicitor of prosocial behaviour, the underlying neural mechanism is yet to be explored. In the present fMRI study, we replicated the previously reported observer effect in ethical consumption, in that participants were more likely to purchase social products that are sold to support people in need than non-social products when being observed by others. fMRI data revealed that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) encoded subject-specific value parameters of purchase decisions for social and non-social products, respectively, under social observation. The ACC showed strong functional coupling with the amygdala and the anterior insula when participants in the observation condition were making purchases of social versus non-social products. Finally, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activity predicted faster reaction time and increased prosocial behavior during decisions to purchase social versus non-social products, regardless of social observation. The present findings suggest that subregions of the mPFC, namely the dmPFC, ACC, and vmPFC, are hierarchically organized to encode different levels of decision values from the value of context-sensitive reputation to that of internalized prosociality.

연구의의

본 연구는 타인이 관찰하는 상황이 불우한 사람들을 돕기 위해 판매되는 사회적 제품을 구매하는 윤리적 소비의사결정에 미치는 영향과 이와 관련된 신경학적 기제를 알아보기 위한 연구로, 사회적 맥락에서 시민 행동이 변화하는 양상과 그러한 행동변화의 원리를 이해하는 데 기여할 수 있는 신경학적 기제를 밝힌 연구임. 본 연구에서는 타인의 관찰 하에서 사회적 제품을 구매하는 윤리적 구매 의사 결정 확률이 증가하였고, 가치판단 시스템의 핵심부위인 복내측 전전두피질의 활성화 수준이 사회적 제품을 구매하는 친사회적인 행동의 증가와 빨라진 의사 결정 반응 시간을 예측함을 보고함.