Self-Other Mergence in the Frontal Cortex during Cooperation and Competition

Marco K Wittmann,Nils Kolling,Nadira S Faber,Jacqueline Scholl,Natalie Nelissen,Matthew F.S Rushworth

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2016.06.022

Abstract

SummaryTo survive, humans must estimate their own ability and the abilities of others. We found that, although people estimated their abilities on the basis of their own performance in a rational manner, their estimates of themselves were partly merged with the performance of others. Reciprocally, their ability estimates for others also reflected their own, as well as the others’, performance. Self-other mergence operated in a context-dependent manner: interacting with high or low performers, respectively, enhanced and diminished own ability estimates in cooperative contexts, but the opposite occurred in competitive contexts. Self-other mergence not only influenced subjective evaluations, it also affected how people subsequently objectively adjusted their performance. Perigenual anterior cingulate cortex tracked one’s own performance. Dorsomedial frontal area 9 tracked others’ performances, but also integrated contextual and self-related information. Self-other mergence increased with the strength of self and other representations in area 9, suggesting it carries interdependent representations of self and other.

Highlights

Social environments require humans and other primates to monitor others (Chang et al, 2013a, 2013b; Ruff and Fehr, 2014) and to know their own abilities, and the abilities of others
The decision to engage in fundamental modes of social interaction such as cooperation or competition with a conspecific is guided by knowledge about their abilities and social status relative to one’s own (Wang et al, 2011)
The minigames’ precise nature is less critical than the fact that they provided a vehicle to investigate how subjects developed an estimate of their ability that was based on their performance and how this changed depending on interactions with two other players whose performances they saw

Summary

Introduction

Social environments require humans and other primates to monitor others (Chang et al, 2013a, 2013b; Ruff and Fehr, 2014) and to know their own abilities, and the abilities of others. The decision to engage in fundamental modes of social interaction such as cooperation or competition with a conspecific is guided by knowledge about their abilities and social status relative to one’s own (Wang et al, 2011) Estimating abilities of both self and others on the basis of past performance may be important for humans, as they are able to coordinate and execute multi-step tasks such as building a shelter together with others (Misyak et al, 2014; Tomasello et al, 2005) or making complex decisions in groups (Kerr and Tindale, 2004). They have to use this knowledge flexibly because social alliances can change very quickly: a competitor within one’s own company might quickly become a cooperator when competing with a different company

Results

Discussion

Conclusion