Simulating Cooperative Interactions to Investigate the Neural Correlates of Joint Attention

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Simulating Cooperative Interactions to Investigate the Neural Correlates of Joint Attention Nathan Caruana1*, Alexandra Woolgar1 and Jon Brock1 1 ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders , Cognitive Science, Australia Joint attention is a fundamental aspect of social cognition, enabling effective intersubjective experiences. However, due to lacking ecological measures, we currently know little about its neural representation, or how this diverges in developmental disorders such as autism. Joint attention is conceptualised as involving two distinct functions. Responding to joint attention (RJA) involves converging with someone else's focus of attention. Initiating joint attention (IJA), involves guiding others to converge with one's own attentional focus. The Parallel Distributed Processing (PDP) model accounts for the overlapping function, and developmental divergence of RJA and IJA. Consistent with this model, we anticipated that sources of activation associated with RJA and IJA would reflect partially independent regions, existing in a distally distributed, posterior and anterior network. Inspired by the second person perspective (2PP) approach to social cognition research, we developed a co-operative, virtual reality task for the acquisition of fMRI and MEG data. Using eye-tracking techniques, subjects interacted with an onscreen avatar, which responded contingently to their gaze. Subjects completed the task under the impression that they were interacting with a confederate, outside the scanner, who was controlling the avatar's eye movements. Our analyses have focused on comparing neural activation during the execution of RJA and IJA behaviour, as well as during conditions where participants complete the same task 'alone'. Our fMRI univariate whole brain analyses revealed temporoparietal and anterior networks associated with gaze detection, attention orienting and mentalising processes. An MEG case study, using the same task and a novel saccade-related beamforming analysis was also conducted to localise activation associated with preparing saccades for the execution of RJA and IJA. These data and critical issues in designing interactive paradigms will be discussed. Keywords: fMRI, MEG, eye tracking, joint attention, virtual reality Conference: XII International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON-XII), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 27 Jul - 31 Jul, 2014. Presentation Type: Poster Topic: Emotional and Social Processes Citation: Caruana N, Woolgar A and Brock J (2015). Simulating Cooperative Interactions to Investigate the Neural Correlates of Joint Attention. Conference Abstract: XII International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON-XII). doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2015.217.00046 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 19 Feb 2015; Published Online: 24 Apr 2015. * Correspondence: Mr. Nathan Caruana, ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Cognitive Science, North Ryde, Australia, nathan.caruana@mq.edu.au Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Nathan Caruana Alexandra Woolgar Jon Brock Google Nathan Caruana Alexandra Woolgar Jon Brock Google Scholar Nathan Caruana Alexandra Woolgar Jon Brock PubMed Nathan Caruana Alexandra Woolgar Jon Brock Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.