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Neural mechanisms of social influence

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  • Mason, Malia F.
  • Dyer, Rebecca
  • Norton, Michael I.

Abstract

The present investigation explores the neural mechanisms underlying the impact of social influence on preferences. We socially tagged symbols as valued or not - by exposing participants to the preferences of their peers - and assessed subsequent brain activity during an incidental processing task in which participants viewed popular, unpopular, and novel symbols. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) differentiated between symbols that were and were not socially tagged - a possible index of normative influence - while aspects of the striatum (the caudate) differentiated between popular and unpopular symbols - a possible index of informational influence. These results suggest that integrating activity in these two brain regions may differentiate objects that have become valued as a result of social influence from those valued for non-social reasons.

Suggested Citation

  • Mason, Malia F. & Dyer, Rebecca & Norton, Michael I., 2009. "Neural mechanisms of social influence," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 110(2), pages 152-159, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:110:y:2009:i:2:p:152-159
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    Cited by:

    1. Damon Tomlin & Andrea Nedic & Deborah A Prentice & Philip Holmes & Jonathan D Cohen, 2013. "The Neural Substrates of Social Influence on Decision Making," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, January.
    2. Konc, Théo & Savin, Ivan & van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M., 2021. "The social multiplier of environmental policy: Application to carbon taxation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).

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