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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

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Social groups that elicit disgust are differentially processed in mPFC.

Lasana T Harris¹, Susan T Fiske

¹Department of Psychology and Center for the Study of Brain, Mind, and Behavior, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. ltharris@princeton.edu

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience

|November 6, 2008

Summary

Social neuroscience research shows the medial pre-frontal cortex (mPFC) is crucial for social cognition. This study found that making individuating judgments about extreme outgroups increases mPFC activation, counteracting reduced activity.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Social Psychology
Cognitive Science

Background:

The medial pre-frontal cortex (mPFC) is considered essential for social cognition.
Reduced mPFC activation is observed for extreme outgroups eliciting disgust.
Disgust is an emotion directed towards both people and objects.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if individuating judgments can increase mPFC activation for extreme outgroups.
To explore distinct neural processing for outgroups eliciting disgust versus other social emotions.
To differentiate neural responses based on judgment type (categorical vs. individuating).

Main Methods:

fMRI was used to record neural activity in participants.
Participants made either superficial age estimations or individuating food-preference judgments about people.
Stimuli included members of extreme outgroups and other social groups.

Main Results:

Reduced mPFC activity to extreme outgroups eliciting disgust was replicated.
Processing of extreme outgroups was distinct from groups eliciting pity, envy, or pride.
Inferring individuating information (food preferences) increased mPFC activation compared to superficial judgments.

Conclusions:

The medial pre-frontal cortex (mPFC) shows differentiated processing for extreme outgroups.
Individuation strategies can enhance mPFC engagement even for groups that typically elicit disgust.
This suggests a nuanced role for mPFC in social cognition, adaptable to judgment context.