A recent study conducted at the University of Turku in Finland shows that different people have similar brain activity when perceiving social situations. Researchers discovered an extensive neural network in the human brain that effectively processes various social information.
Social interaction is central to all aspects of human life. Interaction requires the perception and interpretation of the social environment as well as flexible reacting to other people’s behavior. The human brain is capable of such perception and decision-making automatically and rapidly. However, the social information processing mechanisms of the brain remain unresolved.
The study conducted at the Turku PET Centre revealed an extensive neural network in the human brain that processes various social information. The study showed that the social perceptual world of humans consists of a limited set of main dimensions, such as antisocial behavior, sexual or affiliative behavior, and communication. These social dimensions are processed in various brain regions located mainly in the back of the brain, more specifically in the occipital and temporal lobes.
