Social emotion: neurophysiology of envy and Schadenfreude Bashny.Net

Japanese scientists using the method of functional magnetic resonance imaging localized the parts of the brain responsible for processing emotions such as envy and schadenfreude. It turned out that these feelings are controlled by the same parts of the brain, and pain, thirst and hunger, that is, the physical sensation is of paramount importance. Moreover, jealousy occurs in response to a negative comparison of yourself to other people only on significant human performance. Schadenfreude takes over the function resolve psychological discomfort.

Your victory is my trouble, your trouble — my victory — almost a literal translation of the title of the article in the journal Science ("When your gain is my pain and your pain is my gain"), where a group of Japanese scientists from the National Institute of radiology in Chiba, Tokyo Institute of medicine and dentistry, Medical school of Keio University in Tokyo and other organizations published a study.

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It is no secret that these emotions are as inherent in human nature, however, and condemned by the society. No wonder envy is listed among the seven deadly sins. But apparently, even such a strong and persistent public censure these feelings do not destroy.

No, hand on heart, can claim that was never jealous and never felt even the momentary joy at the failure of the rival.

The appearance of envy or malevolence depends on the comparative evaluation of the individual's own position in society. If the comparison shows that the individual loses, for whatever criteria the object of attention, it is envy. If the object suddenly appears or otherwise insolvent, the individual experiences a joy. That is, these feelings reflect the social self-esteem of the individual and are socially significant.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the scientists conducted a study of the work of the brain during the experience of these socially important emotions. The experiment involved 19 students — 10 boys and 9 girls. Each of the participants were asked to read a short story and imagine yourself in the place of the protagonist. In the part of the subjects described University life, others life after graduation. In all plots, except the main character, was attended by three characters:

• first — able and successful in socially significant areas,
• second — able, but successful in the insignificant areas,
• the third humble abilities and successful in insignificant areas.

 

Subjects assumed the experience of the protagonist about the successes and failures of all three characters. In other words, assessed the degree of envy and Schadenfreude the parties, depending on the different parameters of the social rivalries as well as the recorded area of the brain involved in the formation of these emotions.

The result was wonderful: envy and gloating — "social" emotions are processed in the same brain areas as the somatosensory impulses of pain, hunger, sexual satisfaction. As well as the pain, the envy, and with it other social failures (public reprimand, unfair treatment, a sense of loss), are in the anterior region cingulate, or limbic, brain (Anterior cingulate cortex). Also in the response to pain involves the islet cells (Insular cortex, Insula), somatosensory cortex, thalamus and Central gray matter (Periaqueductal gray). While the somatosensory cortex is responsible for the localization of the pain signal in the body, and anterior cingulate cortex — during stress assessment of pain.

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Gloating together with sensations of physical pleasure and social success — justice, charity, cooperation — controlled system associated with the award. Involved here dopamine-mediated error region of the brain:

• the ventral tegmental area (Ventral tegmental area, VTA), where dopamine begins way
• the amygdala (Amygdala),
• the ventral part of the body striped(Striatum),
• the ventromedial portion of the prefrontal cortex (Ventromedial prefrontal cortex).

 

In addition to drawing brain "landscape" of these emotions, scientists showed that envy and Schadenfreude do not occur or are significantly lower if compared to socially irrelevant for the individual areas. It was also found that the stronger the jealousy of the main character towards a particular character, the more intense the registered joy at the failures of the opponent. It is appropriate to recall the analogy, the stronger the hunger, the tastier it seems the long-awaited food. Envy and Schadenfreude seem to be the same antagonists as hunger, satiety, thirst — quenching thirst. Apparently, the analogy is not so superficial as it may seem when contrasted physiological and social emotions. Especially when you bear in mind the similarity in topography and the physiological processing of these social signals.

Remember that people tend to evaluate themselves positively, and all that belittles this assessment, causes a psychological discomfort. Envy is the result of the discomfort arising due to the underestimation of social status in one way or another. The same cause discomfort hunger or thirst or shortage of other essential things, and the limbic cortex evaluates these experiences as a negative stress factor. When removing the stress, that is, when the replenishment of a lack, a feeling of pleasure, which will be dopamine-mediated error system awards. Fun can be of various kinds, including unsolicited gloating. This feeling signals the resolution of a psychological conflict, that is about making up for lack of self-esteem. This replenishment is achieved by reducing the social evaluation of the opponent.

To reduce the disparity and in other ways: lowering the importance of the areas of comparison (for example, to change profession, social circle, etc.) or to increase the social evaluation of one's own abilities (for example, through enhanced training). Anyway, the behavior caused by the psychological discomfort directed to the smoothing.

That is, according to the authors, the meaning of these socially significant emotions of envy and Schadenfreude. Apparently, they appeared and evolved as an essential element of the social structure of human society, a kind of mechanism for maintaining social status of the individual, the mechanism of stabilization of social structure.

 

Also interesting: Envy. Who and why the "toad strangling"

The underlying causes of diseases: jealousy, hatred, pride

 

Yet man evolved as a social creature. Therefore, these emotions are quite naturally included in the system management needs of high priority — such as satisfaction of hunger, thirst, sexual desire, and pain relief.published 

 

Author: Elena Naimark

 

P. S. And remember, just changing your mind — together we change the world! ©

Source: elementy.ru/novosti_nauki/431011/Tvoya_pobeda_moya_beda_tvoya_beda_moya_pobeda