Brain Reward Activity to Masked In-Group Smiling Faces Predicts Friendship Development
Journal
Social Psychological and Personality Science
Journal Volume
6
Journal Issue
4
Pages
415-421
Date Issued
2015
Author(s)
Abstract
This study examined whether neural responses in the ventral striatum (VS) to in-group facial expressions-presented without explicit awareness-could predict friendship patterns in newly arrived individuals from China six months later. Individuals who initially showed greater VS activity in response to in-group happy expressions during functional neuroimaging later made considerably more in-group friends, suggesting that VS activity might reflect reward processes that drive in-group approach behaviors.
SDGs
Type
journal article