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Cited by 256Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorNeuroendocrine regulation and behavior

The social brain and reward: Social information processing in the human striatum

Open access
Bhanji, Jamil P., Delgado, Mauricio R.·2014·WIREs Cognitive Science
DOI 10.1002/wcs.1266PMC PMC3890330
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Abstract

In the highly social life of humans, rewards that are sought and experienced are intertwined with social relationships and interactions between people. Just as we value nonsocial rewards such as food or money, we also value social outcomes (e.g., praise from a superior). We use social information to evaluate and form expectations of others and to make decisions involving others. Here we review research demonstrating how the neural circuitry of reward, particularly the striatum, is also involved in processing social information and making decisions in social situations. This research provides an understanding of the neural basis for social behavior from the perspective of how we evaluate social experiences and how our social interactions and decisions are motivated. We review research addressing the common neural systems underlying evaluation of social and nonsocial rewards. The human striatum, known to play a key role in reward processing, displays signals related to a broad spectrum of social functioning, including evaluating social rewards, making decisions influenced by social factors, learning about social others, cooperating, competing, and following social norms. WIREs Cogn Sci 2014, 5:61–73. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1266 This article is categorized under: Neuroscience > Cognition

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This review argues that the human striatum, a core reward region, also processes social information—social rewards, socially influenced decisions, learning about others, cooperation/competition, and social norms. It synthesizes human neuroimaging evidence showing striatal value and prediction-error signals are recruited across social and non-social domains.

Key findings

  • The striatum, especially ventral striatum, responds to social rewards such as positive social feedback, praise, attractive faces, intimate others, and high social rank in ways similar to non-social rewards like food or money.
  • Striatal value signals are modulated by social context: conformity to popular opinion, expert advice, the mere presence of others, charitable giving, cooperation, competition, and social norms such as fairness.
  • Ventral striatum responses resemble reward prediction error signals during social learning—for example, a friendly gesture elicits a larger response when it comes from someone who has rarely been friendly in the past.
  • The review reports no original numerical results; it synthesizes cited studies showing striatal activity integrates multiple social and non-social value sources into subjective value computations.

Methods

  • Narrative review of human neuroimaging research, primarily fMRI BOLD studies, alongside relevant neuroanatomical and electrophysiological findings on reward processing.
  • No primary data or sample are reported; the paper synthesizes cited studies across social rewards, social influence, learning about others, cooperation, competition, and social norms.
  • Main analysis is qualitative synthesis rather than systematic review or meta-analysis.

Limitations

  • The paper states that the exact neural mechanisms underlying evaluation change due to social conformity are still to be resolved by further research.
  • The paper states it remains unclear whether increased striatal responses in the presence of peers reflect increased value of potential positive outcomes or increased expectation of positive outcomes.
  • Evident from the text: as a narrative review, it lacks a systematic search or quantitative synthesis, and some cited findings are specific to male participants or adolescents, as noted in the paper.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1002/wcs.1266

Cites

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 181 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Premisecitation

    A common neural structure observed in studies involving social and non-social reinforcers is the human striatum.

    “A common neural structure observed in studies involving social and non-social reinforcers is the human striatum”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [1] Delgado MR Reward-related responses in the human striatum. Ann NY Acad Sci 2007 1104 70 88 17344522 source

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    • cites [2] Izuma K Saito DN Sadato N Processing of social and monetary rewards in the human striatum. Neuron 2008 58:284 294 18439412 source

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    • cites [3] Behrens TEJ Hunt LT Woolrich MW Rushworth MFS Associative learning of social value. Nature 2008 456 245 249 19005555 PMC2605577 source

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  • Premisecitation

    The striatum is a key neural structure involved in reward-related processing, from recognizing and evaluating rewards to learning from them to predict the best potential reward in the future.

    “The striatum is a key neural structure involved in reward-related processing, from recognizing and evaluating rewards to learning from them as to predict the best potential reward in the future for review see 1, 10, 11.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [1] Delgado MR Reward-related responses in the human striatum. Ann NY Acad Sci 2007 1104 70 88 17344522 source

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    • cites [10] Knutson B Cooper JC Functional magnetic resonance imaging of reward prediction. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2005 18 411 417 16003117 source

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    • cites [11] Liljeholm M O'Doherty JP Contributions of the striatum to learning, motivation, and performance: an associative account. Trends Cogn Sci 2012 16 467 75 PMC3449003 22890090 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Premisecitation

    Structural connectivity imaging techniques in humans have begun to find support for the general organization of the corticostriatal circuitry described.

    “The majority of these connectivity studies utilize neuroanatomical tracing in non-human species, but structural connectivity imaging techniques in humans have begun to find support for the general organization of the corticostriatal circuitry described here 9.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [9] Lehéricy S Ducros M Van de Moortele P-F Francois C Thivard L Poupon C Swindale N Ugurbil K Kim D-S Diffusion tensor fiber tracking shows distinct corticostriatal circuits in humans. Ann Neurol 2004 55 522 9 15048891 source

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  • Premisecitation

    Connectivity between different parts of reward structures sets up corticostriatal circuits in partially segregated loops posited to have distinct functions (e.g., motor, cognitive, motivational) based on specific subsections connected.

    “The connectivity between different parts of these structures sets up corticostriatal circuits in partially segregated loops that are posited to have distinct functions (e.g., motor, cognitive, motivational 5) based on specific subsections that are connected.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [5] Alexander GE DeLong MR Strick PL Parallel organization of functionally segregated circuits linking basal ganglia and cortex. Annu Rev Neurosci 1986 9 357 381 3085570 source

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  • Interpretationcitation

    The dopamine reward prediction error has provided a potential neurophysiological explanation for computational models describing how individuals learn from reward outcomes.

    “The dopamine RPE has provided a potential neurophysiological explanation for computational models describing how individuals learn from reward outcomes 18, 19.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [18] Rescorla RA Wagner AR Black AH Prokasy WF A theory of Pavolovian conditioning: Variations in the effectiveness of reinforcement and nonreinforcement. Classical Conditioning II 1972 64 99 Appleton-Century-Crofts

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    • cites [19] Sutton RS Barto AG Reinforcement Learning 1998 MIT Press Cambridge, MA

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  • May combine two claims. 36
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 1

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The human striatum displays signals related to a broad spectrum of social functioning, including evaluating social rewards, making decisions influenced by social factors, learning about social others, cooperating, competing, and following social norms.

    “The human striatum, known to play a key role in reward processing, displays signals related to a broad spectrum of social functioning, including evaluating social rewards, making decisions influenced by social factors, learning about social others, cooperating, competing, and following social norms.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: Human rewards are intertwined with social relationships and interactions.
    • Rests on an assumption: We use social information to evaluate and form expectations of others and to make decisions involving others.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Cells in the ventromedial area of the striatum connect in loops with ventral and medial areas of the prefrontal cortex, while dorsolateral areas of the striatum connect in loops with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and motor cortex.

    “For instance, cells in the ventromedial area of the striatum connect in loops with ventral and medial areas of the prefrontal cortex, while dorsolateral areas of the striatum connect in loops with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and motor cortex 4, 5, 7, 8.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 4 sources checked
    • cites [4] Haber SN Knutson B The reward circuit: linking primate anatomy and human imaging. Neuropsychopharmacology 2010 35 4 26 PMC3055449 19812543 source

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    • cites [5] Alexander GE DeLong MR Strick PL Parallel organization of functionally segregated circuits linking basal ganglia and cortex. Annu Rev Neurosci 1986 9 357 381 3085570 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [7] Alexander GE Crutcher MD DeLong MR Basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits: parallel substrates for motor, oculomotor, “prefrontal” and “limbic” functions. Prog Brain Res 1990 85 119 146 2094891 source

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    • cites [8] Haber SN Fudge JL McFarland NR Striatonigrostriatal pathways in primates form an ascending spiral from the shell to the dorsolateral striatum. J Neurosci 2000 20 2369 2382 PMC6772499 10704511 source

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    Premisecitation

    Midbrain dopaminergic neurons in non-human primates exhibit a reward prediction error signal: increased firing with unexpected reward delivery, increased response to cues predicting reward over time, and decreased firing when a predicted reward is omitted.

    “They observed 1) increases in dopamine firing with unexpected deliveries of the reward (a better than expected outcome); 2) increases in dopamine response to cues that predicted the juice reward (the earliest predictor of a reward) rather than to the reward itself over time and; 3) a decrease in firing when a predicted reward was omitted (a worse than expected outcome).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [17] Schultz W Dayan P Montague PR A neural substrate of prediction and reward. Science 1997 275 1593 1599 9054347 source

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    Premisecitation

    The striatum is a key component of the reward circuit, particularly in humans, and is a likely area of convergence for affective, cognitive, and motor information given its heterogeneity in connectivity and functionality.

    “A key component of the reward circuit, particularly in humans, is the striatum – a likely area of convergence for affective, cognitive, and motor information given its heterogeneity in terms of connectivity and functionality 5, 6.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [5] Alexander GE DeLong MR Strick PL Parallel organization of functionally segregated circuits linking basal ganglia and cortex. Annu Rev Neurosci 1986 9 357 381 3085570 source

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    • cites [6] Cardinal RN Parkinson J a Hall J Everitt BJ Emotion and motivation: the role of the amygdala, ventral striatum, and prefrontal cortex. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2002 26 321 52 12034134

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    For primary (e.g., food) and secondary (e.g., money) rewards, striatum activity increases when we encounter cues that predict a likely reward and when we obtain a reward outcome.

    “For primary (e.g., food) and secondary (e.g., money) rewards, striatum activity, as measured by blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI signals, has been observed to increase when we encounter cues that predict a likely reward (e.g., a bell rung before mealtime 12, 13) and when we obtain a reward outcome (e.g., receive and consume the meal 14).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [12] Knutson B Adams CM Fong GW Hommer D Anticipation of increasing monetary reward selectively recruits nucleus accumbens. J Neurosci 2001 21 RC159 PMC6763187 11459880 source

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    • cites [13] O'Doherty JP Deichmann R Critchley HD Dolan RJ Neural responses during anticipation of a primary taste reward. Neuron 2002 33 815 826 11879657

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    • cites [14] Delgado MR Nystrom LE Fissell C Noll DC Fiez JA Tracking the hemodynamic responses to reward and punishment in the striatum. J Neurophysiol 2000 84 3072 3077 11110834 source

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    Interpretationcitation

    Reward-related signals in the striatum are crucial for alerting and motivating an organism to a reward opportunity, associating predictive cues with reward outcomes, and learning through trial and error in order to adapt behavior to attain rewards in the future.

    “Thus, reward-related signals in the striatum appear to be crucial for alerting and motivating an organism to a reward opportunity, associating predictive cues with reward outcomes, and learning through trial and error in order to adapt behavior to attain rewards in the future1, 10, 11.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [1] Delgado MR Reward-related responses in the human striatum. Ann NY Acad Sci 2007 1104 70 88 17344522 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [10] Knutson B Cooper JC Functional magnetic resonance imaging of reward prediction. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2005 18 411 417 16003117 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [11] Liljeholm M O'Doherty JP Contributions of the striatum to learning, motivation, and performance: an associative account. Trends Cogn Sci 2012 16 467 75 PMC3449003 22890090 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The striatum signals not only the presence or absence of a reward, but also the value of the reward.

    “That is, the striatum (along with other components of the reward system such as ventromedial prefrontal cortex discussed elsewhere 31) signals not only the presence or absence of a reward, but also the value of the reward.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [31] Rangel A Hare T Neural computations associated with goal-directed choice. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2010 20 262 70 20338744 source

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    Premisecitation

    Dopamine firing to reward cues can reflect the incentive salience of the cue and can in some cases reflect the treatment of the cue as a reward in itself.

    “Other influential accounts of dopamine function also highlight that dopamine firing to reward cues can reflect the incentive salience of the cue 20 and can in some cases reflect the treatment of the cue as a reward in itself 21.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [20] Berridge KC Robinson TE What is the role of dopamine in reward: hedonic impact, reward learning, or incentive salience? Brain Res Brain Res Rev 1998 28 309 69 9858756 source

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    • cites [21] Robinson TE Flagel SB Dissociating the predictive and incentive motivational properties of reward-related cues through the study of individual differences. Biol Psychiatry 2009 65 869 73 18930184 PMC2737368 source

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    Premisecitation

    In general, striatum activity is greater when we see that the popular opinion agrees rather than disagrees with our own evaluation of an object, and is related to our current evaluation of an object after we have seen the popular opinion.

    “In general, striatum activity is greater when we see that the popular opinion agrees rather than disagrees with our own evaluation of an object 44, 45, and is related to our current evaluation of an object after we have seen the popular opinion 46, 47.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 4 sources checked
    • cites [44] Klucharev V Hytönen K Rijpkema M Smidts A Fernández G Reinforcement learning signal predicts social conformity. Neuron 2009 61 140 151 19146819 source

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    • cites [45] Izuma K Adolphs R Social manipulation of preference in the human brain. Neuron 2013 78 563 73 23664619 PMC3695714 source

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    • cites [46] Mason MF Dyer R Norton MI Neural mechanisms of social influence. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process 2009 110 152 159 source

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    • cites [47] Zaki J Schirmer J Mitchell JP Social influence modulates the neural computation of value. Psychol Sci 2011 22 894 900 21653908 source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Positive social feedback elicits neural and affective responses similarly to monetary rewards, raising the possibility that neural responses to social rewards in the striatum may underlie socially-influenced behaviors.

    “These findings suggest that positive social feedback elicits neural and affective responses similarly to monetary rewards, raising the possibility that neural responses to social rewards in the striatum may underlie socially-influenced behaviors.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Ventral and dorsal striatum responds to both positive social feedback and monetary rewards (scaling accordingly with magnitude for both reinforcers) but not positive social feedback about a third party.

    “Moreover, this region of ventral and dorsal striatum responds to both positive social feedback and monetary rewards (scaling accordingly with magnitude for both reinforcers) but not positive social feedback about a third party 2.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [2] Izuma K Saito DN Sadato N Processing of social and monetary rewards in the human striatum. Neuron 2008 58:284 294 18439412 source

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    Premisecitation

    Striatum activity increases when viewing or thinking about people with whom we hold intimate relationships, or people that hold high compared to low social rank.

    “Striatum activity also increases when viewing or thinking about people with whom we hold intimate relationships 39, 40, or people that hold high compared to low social rank 41.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [39] Fisher HE Aron A Brown LL Romantic love: a mammalian brain system for mate choice. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2006 361 2173 2186 17118931 PMC1764845 source

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    • cites [40] Hughes BL Beer JS Orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex are modulated by motivated social cognition. Cerebral Cortex 2012 22 1372 1381 21862446

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    • cites [41] Zink CF Tong Y Chen Q Bassett DS Stein JL Meyer-Lindenberg A Know your place: neural processing of social hierarchy in humans. Neuron 2008 58 273 283 18439411 PMC2430590 source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The underlying social context alters the way we evaluate our options in the decision-making process, and this influence is reflected in reward-related processing in the striatum.

    “Here, we review research showing that the underlying social context alters the way we evaluate our options in the decision-making process, and this influence is reflected in reward-related processing in the striatum.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: People often conform their own judgments to the opinions of other people, act on advice from others, and change their behavior when they know others are watching them.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Positive outcomes may be treated as more positive and negative outcomes may be treated as less negative when the outcome results from a choice that was advised by another person.

    “This finding suggests that positive outcomes may be treated as more positive (i.e., better indicators of a good choice) and negative outcomes may be treated as less negative (i.e., more easily dismissed as an anomalous outcome of a good choice) when the outcome results from a choice that was advised by another person.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

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    Premisecitation

    Other research shows that ventral striatum activity while viewing other people's evaluations is not necessarily related to social conformity, or even related to independence from conformity.

    “Other research shows, however, that ventral striatum activity while viewing other people's evaluations is not necessarily related to social conformity 45, or even related to independence from conformity49.”
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    • cites [45] Izuma K Adolphs R Social manipulation of preference in the human brain. Neuron 2013 78 563 73 23664619 PMC3695714 source

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    • cites [49] Berns GS Chappelow J Zink CF Pagnoni G Martin-Skurski ME Richards J Neurobiological correlates of social conformity and independence during mental rotation. Biol Psychiatry 2005 58 245 53 15978553 source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    In that study, the ventral striatum signal resembled a RPE signal that represented the distance between an outcome (the popular opinion) and a prediction (the participant's own evaluation) and related to a change in the evaluation.

    “In this case, the ventral striatum signal resembled a RPE signal that a) represented the distance between an outcome (i.e., the popular opinion) and a prediction (i.e., the participant's own evaluation) and b) related to a change in the evaluation (i.e., predicted the degree to which participants later changed their evaluations to agree with popular opinion).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [44] Klucharev V Hytönen K Rijpkema M Smidts A Fernández G Reinforcement learning signal predicts social conformity. Neuron 2009 61 140 151 19146819 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Ventral striatum activity increased when other people with good reputations agreed with a participant's evaluation, but other brain regions, including medial prefrontal cortex, predicted changes to participants' opinions rather than ventral striatum.

    “That is, ventral striatum activity increased when other people with good reputations agreed with a participants’ evaluation, but other brain regions, including medial prefrontal cortex, predicted changes to participants’ opinions rather than ventral striatum 45.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [45] Izuma K Adolphs R Social manipulation of preference in the human brain. Neuron 2013 78 563 73 23664619 PMC3695714 source

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    Premisecitation

    Adolescents, like adults, display striatum responses to positive social feedback (i.e., being liked), but adolescents higher in social anxiety display an increased striatum response to positive relative to negative social feedback.

    “Interestingly, other research shows that adolescents, like adults, display striatum responses to positive social feedback 42, 43 (i.e., being liked), but also that adolescents higher in social anxiety display an increased striatum response to positive relative to negative social feedback 42.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [42] Gunther Moor B van Leijenhorst L Rombouts SARB Crone EA Van der Molen MW Do you like me? Neural correlates of social evaluation and developmental trajectories. Soc Neurosci 2010 5 461 482 20721813 source

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    • cites [43] Davey CG Allen NB Harrison BJ Dwyer DB Yücel M Being liked activates primary reward and midline self-related brain regions. Hum Brain Mapp 2010 31 660 668 19823984 PMC6871234 source

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    Premisecitation

    When a monetary gain is shared with a friend (compared to a stranger or a computer), people rate the experience as more exciting, and striatum activity is increased.

    “Specifically, when a monetary gain is shared with a friend (compared to a stranger or a computer) people rate the experience as more exciting, and striatum activity is increased (see Figure 2).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [54] Fareri DS Niznikiewicz MA Lee VK Delgado MR Social network modulation of reward-related signals. J Neurosci 2012 32 9045 9052 22745503 PMC3412567 source

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    Premisecitation

    Adolescents tend to make more risky decisions when in the presence of their peers, and this phenomenon is associated with increased ventral striatum responses to the potential rewards of risky decisions.

    “Adolescents tend to make more risky decisions when in the presence of their peers and this phenomenon is associated with increased ventral striatum responses to the potential rewards of risky decisions such as speeding through a yellow traffic light 55.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [55] Chein J Albert D O'Brien L Uckert K Steinberg L Peers increase adolescent risk taking by enhancing activity in the brain's reward circuitry. Dev Sci 2011 14 F1 10 PMC3075496 21499511 source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The mere presence of another person can affect how reward information is perceived and processed in the brain, leading to influences on reward-related behavior.

    “Even when other people provide no feedback or interaction, the mere presence of another person can affect how reward information is perceived and processed in the brain, leading to influences on reward-related behavior (e.g., peer pressure to take risks or make a charitable donation).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: The knowledge that we are being watched can motivate behaviors that benefit other people even at a cost to oneself.

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    Interpretationcitation

    Acts of giving can be valuable for many reasons (e.g., reputation benefit, vicarious reward, satisfaction of giving, efficiency, equity) and striatum activity integrates these sources of value in a manner resembling the representation of subjective value for non-social rewards.

    “On the whole this area of research shows that acts of giving can be valuable for many reasons (e.g., reputation benefit, vicarious reward, satisfaction of giving, efficiency, equity) and that striatum activity integrates these sources of value in a manner resembling the representation of subjective value for non-social rewards 32.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [32] Peters J Büchel C Neural representations of subjective reward value. Behav Brain Res 2010 213 135 141 20420859 source

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    Premisecitation

    People value seeing charities they think are important or people similar to themselves receive rewards.

    “In particular, people value seeing charities they think are important 59 or people similar to themselves receive rewards 62.”
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    • cites [59] Izuma K Saito DN Sadato N Processing of the incentive for social approval in the ventral striatum during charitable donation. J Cogn Neurosci 2010 22 621 631 19320552 source

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    • cites [62] Mobbs D Yu R Meyer M Passamonti L Seymour B Calder AJ Schweizer S Frith CD Dalgleish T A key role for similarity in vicarious reward. Science 2009 324 900 19443777 PMC2839480 source

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    Premisecitation

    People make more charitable donations when they believe their decisions are being watched, and ventral striatum activity is greater when making a donation that is watched by others compared to an anonymous donation.

    “For example, people make more charitable donations when they believe their decisions are being watched, and ventral striatum activity is greater when making a donation that is watched by others compared to an anonymous donation 59.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [59] Izuma K Saito DN Sadato N Processing of the incentive for social approval in the ventral striatum during charitable donation. J Cogn Neurosci 2010 22 621 631 19320552 source

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    Premisecitation

    People value vicarious rewards and exhibit increased ventral striatum activity even when they are not responsible for the reward.

    “Interestingly, people value vicarious rewards and exhibit increased ventral striatum activity even when they are not responsible for the reward 61–63.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [61] Harbaugh WT Mayr U Burghart DR Neural responses to taxation and voluntary giving reveal motives for charitable donations. Science 2007 316 1622 1625 17569866 source

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    • cites [62] Mobbs D Yu R Meyer M Passamonti L Seymour B Calder AJ Schweizer S Frith CD Dalgleish T A key role for similarity in vicarious reward. Science 2009 324 900 19443777 PMC2839480 source

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    • cites [63] Kuss K Falk A Trautner P Elger CE Weber B Fliessbach K A reward prediction error for charitable donations reveals outcome orientation of donators. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2013 8 216 223 22198972 PMC3575724 source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    People are more satisfied when their own free choice (i.e., donation) benefits a charity and they exhibit greater ventral striatum activity compared to when the charity benefits the same amount without the donator's choice.

    “However, people are more satisfied when their own free choice (i.e., donation) benefits a charity and they exhibit greater ventral striatum activity compared to when the charity benefits the same amount without the donator's choice 61, 64.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [61] Harbaugh WT Mayr U Burghart DR Neural responses to taxation and voluntary giving reveal motives for charitable donations. Science 2007 316 1622 1625 17569866 source

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    • cites [64] Hare TA Camerer CF Knoepfle DT Rangel A Value computations in ventral medial prefrontal cortex during charitable decision making incorporate input from regions involved in social cognition. J Neurosci 2010 30 583 590 20071521 PMC6633003 source

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    Premisecitation

    Striatum activity increases in anticipation of a positive social interaction after repeated interactions with one person, suggesting that this neural signal is important for learning to predict others' behavior.

    “Moreover, striatum activity increases in anticipation of a positive social interaction after repeated interactions with one person, suggesting that this neural signal is important for learning to predict others’ behavior 67.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [67] King-Casas B Tomlin D Anen C Camerer CF Quartz SR Montague PR Getting to know you: reputation and trust in a two-person economic exchange. Science 2005 308 78 83 15802598 source

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    Premisecitation

    Earning a reward by cooperation with a partner elicits greater ventral striatum activity compared to earning an equivalent reward in a non-social context and even compared to earning a larger reward by not cooperating at the expense of one's partner.

    “That is, earning a reward by cooperation with a partner elicits greater ventral striatum activity compared to earning an equivalent reward in a non-social context and even compared to earning a larger reward by not cooperating at the expense of one's partner 71.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [71] Rilling J Gutman D Zeh T Pagnoni G Berns G Kilts C A neural basis for social cooperation. Neuron 2002 35 395 405 12160756 source

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    Premisecitation

    Ventral and dorsal striatum activity increases when receiving rewards as a result of reciprocated cooperation and when making a decision to cooperate.

    “As with rewards such as money or positive social feedback, ventral and dorsal striatum activity increases when receiving rewards as a result of reciprocated cooperation and when making a decision to cooperate 67, 71, 72.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [67] King-Casas B Tomlin D Anen C Camerer CF Quartz SR Montague PR Getting to know you: reputation and trust in a two-person economic exchange. Science 2005 308 78 83 15802598 source

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    • cites [71] Rilling J Gutman D Zeh T Pagnoni G Berns G Kilts C A neural basis for social cooperation. Neuron 2002 35 395 405 12160756 source

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    • cites [72] Yoshida W Seymour B Friston KJ Dolan RJ Neural mechanisms of belief inference during cooperative games. J Neurosci 2010 30 10744 10751 20702705 PMC2967416

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Biases introduced by social information can affect our experience of outcomes and the way we learn from them.

    “This finding parallels the effect of advice on outcomes of risk decisions 53 and suggests that biases introduced by social information can affect our experience of outcomes and the way we learn from them.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [53] Biele G Rieskamp J Krugel LK Heekeren HR The neural basis of following advice. PLoS Biol 2011 9 1 11 PMC3119653 21713027 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Ventral striatum activity is greater when we gain a larger reward than someone else or even lose less than someone else.

    “Ventral striatum activity is greater when we gain a larger reward than someone else or even lose less than someone else 82–84.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [82] Dvash J Gilam G Ben-Ze'ev A Hendler T Shamay-Tsoory SG The envious brain: the neural basis of social comparison. Hum Brain Mapp 2010 31 1741 50 PMC6871018 20205244 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [83] Bault N Joffily M Rustichini A Coricelli G Medial prefrontal cortex and striatum mediate the influence of social comparison on the decision process. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011 108 16044 16049 21896760 PMC3179055 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [84] Fliessbach K Weber B Trautner P Dohmen T Sunde U Elger CE Falk A Social comparison affects reward-related brain activity in the human ventral striatum. Science 2007 318 1305 1308 18033886

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Sports fans experience greater positive emotions and increased ventral striatum activity when seeing their favorite team do well or their rival team do poorly in reference to a neutral team.

    “That is, sports fans experience greater positive emotions and increased ventral striatum activity when seeing their favorite team do well or their rival team do poorly in reference to a neutral team 87.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [87] Cikara M Botvinick MM Fiske ST Us versus them: social identity shapes neural responses to intergroup competition and harm. Psychol Sci 2011 22 306 313 21270447 PMC3833634 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The social competition inherent in an auction drives overbidding and is related to striatal value computations for winning and losing an auction.

    “That is, the social competition inherent in an auction drives overbidding and is related to striatal value computations for winning and losing an auction 88, 89.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [88] Van den Bos W Talwar A McClure SM Neural correlates of reinforcement learning and social preferences in competitive bidding. J Neurosci 2013 33 2137 2146 23365249 PMC6619103 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [89] Delgado MR Schotter A Ozbay EY Phelps EA Understanding overbidding: using the neural circuitry of reward to design economic auctions. Science 2008 321 1849 1852 18818362 PMC3061565 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Signals in the striatum are related to a broad spectrum of social functions, including the evaluation of social rewards, the modulation of reward experiences and behavior by social relationships and interactions, the process of learning about social others, and following and enforcing social norms.

    “Signals in the striatum are related to a broad spectrum of social functions, including the evaluation of social rewards, the modulation of reward experiences and behavior by social relationships and interactions, the process of learning about social others, and following and enforcing social norms.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Signals in the striatum play a role in social behavior and display properties that enable humans to evaluate and learn from both non-social and social experiences.

    “Research reviewed here highlights signals in the striatum that appear to play a role in social behavior and display properties that enable humans to evaluate and learn from both non-social and social experiences.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Interpretationnone given

    Along with the striatum, other brain sites including the amygdala, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and lateral prefrontal cortex play roles in reward processing and social behavior.

    “Along with the striatum, other brain sites including the amygdala, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and lateral prefrontal cortex play roles in reward processing and social behavior.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    Complex relationships exist between expectations, outcomes, and emotions as well as interactions between striatum, medial prefrontal cortex, and insula.

    “These findings suggest complex relationships between expectations, outcomes, and emotions as well as interactions between striatum, medial prefrontal cortex, and insula, which are explored in ongoing research 100, 101.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [100] Vostroknutov A Tobler PN Rustichini A Causes of social reward differences encoded in human brain. J Neurophysiol 2012 107 1403 1412 22157114

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [101] Van den Bos W van Dijk E Westenberg M Rombouts SA Crone EA What motivates repayment? Neural correlates of reciprocity in the Trust Game. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2009 4 294 304 19304843 PMC2728629

      Not checked in the free run.

    • Rests on an assumption: One commonly accepted social norm is that people should act in ways that promote fairness.
    • Rests on an assumption: One way that social norms are enforced is through punishment to norm violators.
37 of 37

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Human rewards are intertwined with social relationships and interactions.

    “We live social lives and the rewards we seek out and experience are intertwined with the social interactions and relationships we have with other people.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    We use social information to evaluate and form expectations of others and to make decisions involving others.

    “We use social information to evaluate and form expectations of others and to make decisions involving others.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Rewards shape behavior; the prospect of a reward helps select actions and motivates carrying them out.

    “Rewards shape our behavior. Out of a vast space of possible actions, the prospect of a reward helps us select those actions that will lead to the most and best rewards, and motivates us to carry out those actions.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    People often conform their own judgments to the opinions of other people, act on advice from others, and change their behavior when they know others are watching them.

    “People often conform their own judgments to the opinions of other people, act on advice from others, and change their behavior when they know others are watching them.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The knowledge that we are being watched can motivate behaviors that benefit other people even at a cost to oneself.

    “The knowledge that we are being watched can also motivate behaviors that benefit other people even at a cost to oneself (e.g., donate money to a charity).”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    People can sometimes gain larger rewards by cooperating with others than by acting alone.

    “People can sometimes gain larger rewards by cooperating with others than by acting alone.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The ability to learn from and predict others' behavior is important in two-way interactions.

    “The ability to learn from and predict others’ behavior becomes very important in two-way interactions, where we are not just receiving information about others but also making decisions that affect others, such as a deciding to cooperate with another person.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Humans value the experience of outperforming others and having higher status than others.

    “Whereas cooperation can often yield increased rewards, humans still value the experience of outperforming others and having higher status than others.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    One commonly accepted social norm is that people should act in ways that promote fairness.

    “One commonly accepted social norm is that people should act in ways that promote fairness.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    One way that social norms are enforced is through punishment to norm violators.

    “One way that social norms are enforced is through punishment to norm violators.”
10 of 10

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References 111 · Cited by 256

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Rescorla RA, 1972, Classical Conditioning II, 64

Authors
Bhanji, J. P., & Delgado, M. R.
Affiliations
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
Corresponding author
Delgado, Mauricio R.
ORCID
Venue
WIREs Cognitive Science
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2013-10-08
Volume
5
Issue
1
Pages
61-73
ISSN
  • 1939-5078 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-5086
DOI
10.1002/wcs.1266
PMC
PMC3890330
OpenAlex
W2142502754
Cited by
256
References
111
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 6
FWCI
0.84
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Cognitive Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (084081)
  • National Science Foundation
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
Keywords
social brain, reward processing, human striatum, social information processing, social decision-making, social reward, social learning, cooperation, competition, social norms, neural basis of social behavior, motivation

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