柳澤助教、阿部准教授の論文が『Journal of Experimental Psychology: General』に掲載されました
柳澤邦昭助教、阿部修士准教授（上廣こころ学研究部門）らの論文が『Journal of Experimental Psychology: General』に掲載されました。
本研究は、自尊感情の高さによる死関連刺激に対する認知・情動処理の違いと、死の脅威に対する防衛的反応の違いを報告した研究です。自尊感情の低い人に比べ、自尊感情の高い人では、死関連刺激を処理する際に、情動の認知的制御に関わる右腹外側前頭前野と扁桃体が効果的に相互作用していることが明らかとなりました。加えて、自尊感情の低い人は、死への脅威に対する防衛的反応を示しやすいことが明らかとなりました。なお、この研究は、こころの未来研究センター連携MRI研究施設のMRIを用いておこなわれました。
Yanagisawa K, Abe N, Kashima ES, Nomura M (2016)
Self-esteem modulates amygdala-VLPFC connectivity in response to mortality threats
Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 145 (3): 273-283
http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/xge/145/3/273/
○Abstract
Reminders of death often elicit defensive responses in individuals, especially among those with low self-esteem. Although empirical evidence indicates that self-esteem serves as a buffer against mortality threats, the precise neural mechanism underlying this effect remains unknown. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to test the hypothesis that self-esteem modulates neural responses to death-related stimuli, especially functional connectivity within the limbic-frontal circuitry, thereby affecting subsequent defensive reactions. As predicted, individuals with high self-esteem subjected to a mortality threat exhibited increased amygdala-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) connectivity during the processing of death-related stimuli compared with individuals who have low self-esteem. Further analysis revealed that stronger functional connectivity between the amygdala and the VLPFC predicted a subsequent decline in responding defensively to those who threaten one’s beliefs. These results suggest that the amygdala-VLPFC interaction, which is modulated by self-esteem, can reduce the defensiveness caused by death-related stimuli, thereby providing a neural explanation for why individuals with high self-esteem exhibit less defensive reactions to mortality threats. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Self-esteem modulates amygdala-VLPFC connectivity in response to mortality threats
Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 145 (3): 273-283
http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/xge/145/3/273/
○Abstract
Reminders of death often elicit defensive responses in individuals, especially among those with low self-esteem. Although empirical evidence indicates that self-esteem serves as a buffer against mortality threats, the precise neural mechanism underlying this effect remains unknown. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to test the hypothesis that self-esteem modulates neural responses to death-related stimuli, especially functional connectivity within the limbic-frontal circuitry, thereby affecting subsequent defensive reactions. As predicted, individuals with high self-esteem subjected to a mortality threat exhibited increased amygdala-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) connectivity during the processing of death-related stimuli compared with individuals who have low self-esteem. Further analysis revealed that stronger functional connectivity between the amygdala and the VLPFC predicted a subsequent decline in responding defensively to those who threaten one’s beliefs. These results suggest that the amygdala-VLPFC interaction, which is modulated by self-esteem, can reduce the defensiveness caused by death-related stimuli, thereby providing a neural explanation for why individuals with high self-esteem exhibit less defensive reactions to mortality threats. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
2016/03/03