Social cognition and emotional processing in frontal lobe damage
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Social cognition and emotional processing in patients with focal frontal lobe damage
IRAS ID
141727
Contact name
Matei Vladeanu
Contact email
Research summary
Most patients who have damage to areas of the frontal lobes experience behaviour and personality changes such as increased risk-taking behaviour (e.g. Bechara et al.,1994), impulsiveness (Winstanley et al, 2004), antisocial personality traits (Meyers et al, 1992) and poor socio-moral judgment (e.g. Blair and Cipolotti, 2000). However, in order to adequately regulate social behaviour, one must first be able to accurately interpret complex social cues. It is now widely accepted that people can form impressions of other people very quickly, usually based on their facial appearance and facial emotion (e.g. Todorov, Baron & Oostenhof, 2008). Although a plethora of studies have examined the behavioral and cognitive changes in frontal lobe damage, neuropsychological research has largely omitted social cognition, despite its importance in successful social interaction. Todorov and colleagues (2008) propose that in the first moments of social contact, an automatic evaluation of the other person takes place on two dimensions: trustworthiness and dominance. Of theoretical importance for this study is the idea that trustworthiness and dominance are inferred from facial emotional cues. This study aims to investigate the ability to evaluate face trustworthiness and dominance as well as complex facial emotions in patients with focal frontal lobe damage.
REC name
London - Surrey Borders Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0559
Date of REC Opinion
19 Jun 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion