Social cognition operates through a hierarchical structure of brain processes
In short: A meta-analysis of neuroimaging data found that understanding others' mental states follows a multilevel hierarchy. Researchers observed that these social-cognitive processes range from broad, abstract functions to specific applications in concrete contexts, organized into three distinct groups of cognitive, affective, and combined processes.
The researchers integrated neuroimaging data and behavioral studies to propose a new model of social cognition. They identified three levels of functioning: purely cognitive processes, affective processes involving shared emotional representations, and combined processes. While the model provides a unified framework, it is based on a meta-analysis of existing neuroimaging clusters.
Why it matters: Our ability to understand others is not a single skill but a structured hierarchy of brain functions.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Schurz et al. (2021). Toward a hierarchical model of social cognition: A neuroimaging meta-analysis and integrative review of empathy and theory of mind. Psychological bulletin.
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