Cited by 1,182Action Observation and SynchronizationFree Will and AgencyVirtual Reality Applications and Impacts

Effect of subjective perspective taking during simulation of action: a PET investigation of agency

Ruby, Perrine, Decety, Jean·2001·Nature Neuroscience

Abstract

Perspective taking is an essential component in the mechanisms that account for intersubjectivity and agency. Mental simulation of action can be used as a natural protocol to explore the cognitive and neural processing involved in agency. Here we took PET measurements while subjects simulated actions with either a first-person or a third-person perspective. Both conditions were associated with common activation in the SMA, the precentral gyrus, the precuneus and the MT/V5 complex. When compared to the first-person perspective, the third-person perspective recruited right inferior parietal, precuneus, posterior cingulate and frontopolar cortex. The opposite contrast revealed activation in left inferior parietal and somatosensory cortex. We suggest that the right inferior parietal, precuneus and somatosensory cortex are specifically involved in distinguishing self-produced actions from those generated by others.

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Crossref · 10.1038/87510

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  • Ruby and Decety (2001) observed greater RTPJ activation when participants imagined another person performing an action than imagining doing it themselves.

    “Moreover, Ruby and Decety (2001) observed greater RTPJ activation when participants imagined another person performing an action than imagining doing it themselves.”

    From Activity in Right Temporo-Parietal Junction is Not Selective for Theory-of-Mind (2008) · cites this paper as Ruby and Decety (2001)

  • Dedicated neural mechanisms have been shown to be at play when participants are asked to imagine being the agent of the action or when they imagine another person being the agent.

    “Dedicated neural mechanisms have been shown to be at play when participants are asked to imagine being the agent of the action or when they imagine another person being the agent (Ruby and Decety, 2001).”
  • Compared with imagining being the agent (first-person perspective), imagining another person being the agent (third-person perspective) has been shown to elicit responses in the right inferior parietal lobule, the precuneus, the posterior cingulate, and the fronto-polar cortex.

    “Compared with imagining being the agent (first-person perspective), imagining another person being the agent (third-person perspective) has been shown to elicit responses in the right inferior parietal lobule, the precuneus, the posterior cingulate, and the fronto-polar cortex.”
  • Ruby and Decety (2001) found that imagining someone perform an action (third person perspective) involves the inferior parietal lobule, the precuneus, the posterior cingulate, and the frontopolar cortex.

    “Ruby and Decety (2001) found that imagining someone perform an action (what they refer to as third person perspective) involves the inferior parietal lobule, the precuneus, the posterior cingulate, and the frontopolar cortex.”
  • The observed precuneus and posterior cingulate activation converges with our results and those of studies on egocentric and allocentric perspective handling and suggests that these regions are critically involved in perspective switching.

    “The observed precuneus and posterior cingulate activation converges with our results and those of studies on egocentric and allocentric perspective handling (see e.g., Ruby and Decety, 2001, or Blanke, 2012 for a review) and suggests that these regions are critically involved in perspective switching.”

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Authors
Ruby, P., & Decety, J.
Affiliations
Inserm (FR)
Venue
Nature Neuroscience
Published
2001-05
Volume
4
Issue
5
Pages
546-550
ISSN
  • 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1726
OpenAlex
W1479871685
Cited by
1,182
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 50 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 40 · 2017: 47 · 2016: 39 · 2015: 43 · 2014: 56 · 2013: 70 · 2012: 72
FWCI
63.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Free Will and Agency
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
Keywords
perspective taking, agency, intersubjectivity, first-person perspective, third-person perspective, somatosensory cortex, inferior parietal cortex, precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex, frontopolar cortex, supplementary motor area
MeSH terms
Acoustic Stimulation, Adult, Brain, Brain Mapping, Cognition, Communication, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Imagination, Male, Photic Stimulation, Tomography, Emission-Computed

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