Abstract
Recent investigations in neuroscience elucidate the neural basis of close other cognitive representations, which serve functions central to our health and happiness. Yet, there are persistent barriers to this research, including disparate research methods and the absence of a common theoretical background. The present review connects neuroimaging and attachment theory within a novel social, cognitive and affective framework. We apply attachment theory to understand why we would expect cognitive representations of close others to be different from other social neural representations. Developing reliable markers of attachment is a critical step in mapping close other neural representations. We then examine existing neuroimaging literature on close other representations, highlighting the recruitment of neural systems supporting reward, motivation and distress alleviation, in addition to the mirror neuron system, default network and salience network. We then review the methodologies of past studies, revealing a diverse array of self-report measures assessing `closeness’ and social cognitive tasks that, taken together, preclude meaningful synthesis of findings. Lastly, we discuss specific behavioral measures of attachment and closeness with recommendations for the field. This attachment framework integrates brain and behavioral sciences and unites theoretical principles with empirical methods to further our understanding of how the brain represents close others.
Highlights
If you are able to suspend disbelief for a moment, assume that two individuals’ bodies could so precisely synchronize as a function of mere affection
We wanted to learn how the brain might differentially represent those individuals who serve as our primary attachment figures. To begin answering these questions, we recently explored the neural representation of known others along a continuum of attachment using functional magnetic neuroimaging (fMRI) (Laurita et al, 2017)
Patterns of neural activation for mentalizing about a parent or child significantly varied as a function of attachment; interestingly, we found that the more attached one feels to their parent/child, the lower brain activity was observed in brain regions such as anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), left amygdala hippocampus, anterior and posterior insula, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and the putative occipital face area, suggesting that bringing to mind one’s attachment figure requires less engagement of these brain regions often recruited for distress relief, memory and facial processing
Summary
If you are able to suspend disbelief for a moment, assume that two individuals’ bodies could so precisely synchronize as a function of mere affection. Perhaps Neruda’s prose does accurately reflect feelings of intense love His imagery evokes a level of intimacy and connection reserved only for certain close relationships. Interest in investigating close relationships stems from knowledge of the social pressures unique to the human species, such as navigation of complex social hierarchies and formation of successful mating relationships (see Fletcher et al, 2015, for review). As humans evolved, living in group settings, individuals had to manage increasing complexity and number of social relationships. This evolutionary pressure was associated with markedly larger brains (Dunbar, 1998). We aim to show how clear integration of a few, central concepts across the relevant bodies of literature provides a novel perspective for the emergent field of close relationship neuroscience, elucidating a path for future inquiry
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