Abstract The recent years have witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of reinforcement learning (RL) models social, cognitive and affective neuroscience. This approach, combination with neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, enables quantitative investigations into latent mechanistic processes. However, increased relatively complex computational approaches has led to potential misconceptions imprecise interpretations. Here, we present comprehensive framework...

Researchers should be motivated to adequately power statistical tests because with low have a probability of detecting true effects. However, it is also often claimed that significant results obtained by underpowered are less likely reflect effect. Here, we critically discuss this “low-power/low-credibility” (LPLC) critique from both frequentist and Bayesian perspectives. Although the LPLC first foremost tests, itself not consistent theory. In particular, demands researchers some information...

Abstract Nature exposure has numerous health benefits and might reduce self-reported acute pain. Given the multi-faceted subjective quality of pain methodological limitations prior research, it is unclear whether evidence indicates genuine analgesic effects or results from domain-general reporting biases. This preregistered neuroimaging study investigates how nature modulates nociception-related brain responses to Healthy participants (N = 49) receiving electrical shocks report lower when...

Empathy for another person's pain and feeling oneself seem to be accompanied by similar or shared neural responses. Such responses could achieved mapping the bodily states of others onto our own representations. We investigated whether sensorimotor are increased when experimentally reducing perceived distinction between self other. Healthy adult participants watched video clips hands ethnic ingroup outgroup members being painfully penetrated a needle syringe touched cotton swab. Manipulating...

Humans learn quickly which actions cause them harm. As social beings, we also need to avoid that hurt others. It is currently unknown whether humans are as good at learning others9 harm (prosocial learning) they self-harm (self-relevant learning). Moreover, it remains unclear how the neural mechanisms of prosocial differ from those self-relevant learning. In this fMRI study, 96 male human participants learned painful stimuli either for themselves or another individual. We found performed...

Influential accounts claim that violent video games (VVGs) decrease players’ emotional empathy by desensitizing them to both virtual and real-life violence. However, scientific evidence for this is inconclusive controversially debated. To assess the causal effect of VVGs on behavioral neural correlates reactivity violence, we conducted a prospective experimental study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We recruited 89 male participants without prior VVG experience. Over...

Recent years have witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of reinforcement learning (RL) models social, cognitive and affective neuroscience. This approach, combination with neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, enables quantitative investigations into latent mechanistic processes. However, increased relatively complex computational approaches has led to potential misconceptions imprecise interpretations. Here, we present comprehensive framework for...

Abstract Action observation is a fundamental pillar of social cognition. Neuroimaging research has revealed human and primate action network (AON) encompassing fronto-temporo-parietal areas with links to species’ imitation tendencies relative lobe expansion. Dogs ( Canis familiaris) have good perception skills less expanded parietal than temporal lobe, but their AON remains unexplored. We conducted functional MRI study 28 dogs 40 humans found functionally analogous involvement somatosensory...

Abstract Action observation is a fundamental pillar of social cognition. Neuroimaging research has revealed human and non-human primate action network (AON) encompassing fronto-temporo-parietal areas with links to the species’ imitation tendencies relative lobe expansion. Dogs (Canis familiaris) have good perception skills less expanded parietal than temporal cortex, but their AON remains unexplored. We conducted functional MRI study 28 dogs 40 humans found functionally analogous involvement...

Self-other distinction is a crucial aspect of social cognition, as it allows us to differentiate our own mental and emotional states from those others. Research suggests that this ability might be impaired in individuals on the autism spectrum, but convincing evidence self-other difficulties domain lacking. Here we aimed at evaluating abilities autistic non-autistic adults, two behavioral pilot studies one fMRI study. By using newly developed virtual ball-tossing game induced simultaneous...

Vicarious learning, i.e. learning through observing others rather than one’s own experiences, is an integral skill of social species. The aim this study was to assess the causal role affect sharing, important aspect empathy, in vicarious fear learning. N = 39 participants completed a Pavlovian conditioning paradigm. In stage, they watched another person–the demonstrator–responding with distress when receiving electric shocks color cue (conditioned stimulus; CS+; different served as CS-)....

Separating confirmatory and exploratory analyses is vital for ensuring the credibility of research results. Here, we present a two-stage Bayesian sequential procedure that combines maximum freedom in first stage with strictly regimen second stage. It allows flexible sampling schemes statistically coherent carry-over information from to We believe this will facilitate preregistration as well formulation precise hypotheses field psychology can be integrated elegantly into registered report...

Influential accounts claim that violent video games (VVG) decrease players' emotional empathy by desensitizing them to both virtual and real-life violence. However, scientific evidence for this is inconclusive controversially debated. To assess the causal effect of VVGs on behavioral neural correlates reactivity violence, we conducted a prospective experimental study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We recruited eighty-nine male participants without prior VVG experience....

Humans learn quickly which actions cause them harm. As social beings, we also need to avoid that hurt others. It is currently unknown if humans are as good at learning others' harm (prosocial learning) they self-harm (self-relevant learning). Moreover, it remains unclear how the neural mechanisms of prosocial differ from those self-relevant learning. In this fMRI study, 96 male human participants learned painful stimuli either for themselves or another individual. We found performed more...

Abstract Nature exposure has numerous psychological benefits, and previous findings suggest that to nature reduces self-reported acute pain. Given the multi-faceted subjective quality of pain methodological limitations prior research, it is unclear whether evidence indicates genuine hypoalgesia or results from domain-general effects reporting biases. This preregistered functional neuroimaging study aimed identify how modulates nociception-related brain responses We compared neural healthy...

A clear separation between exploratory and confirmatory is vital for ensuring the credibility of research. In this preprint, we present a two-stage Bayesian sequential procedure that combines maximum freedom in first stage with strictly regimen second stage, while allowing flexible sampling schemes statistically coherent carry-over information.

Efforts to develop quantitative measures of support for political violence and related concepts have been increasing in the past. These are often treated as roughly interchangeable although, date, it is unclear whether they indeed comparable. Therefore, current study, we aimed investigate which extent can be used interchangeably. We conducted an online survey collected participants’ responses on two direct attitudes towards violence, indirect measures, one behavioural measure. Results...

Abstract Self-other distinction is a crucial aspect of social cognition, as it allows us to differentiate our own mental and emotional states from those others. Research suggests that this ability might be impaired in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but convincing evidence self-other deficits the domain lacking. Here we aimed at evaluating abilities adults without ASD, two behavioral pilot studies one fMRI study. By using newly developed virtual ball-tossing game induced...