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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection

Published on: August 26, 2011

Amygdala involvement in self-blame regret.

Antoinette Nicolle¹, Dominik R Bach, Chris Frith

¹University College London, London, UK. a.nicolle@fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk

Social Neuroscience

|August 17, 2010

Summary

Brain activity related to regret is influenced by responsibility. The amygdala shows a stronger response to regretful outcomes when individuals feel more responsible, highlighting the brain

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Decision Science

Background:

Regret processing in the brain is linked to decision-making and responsibility.
Previous research indicates regret-related brain activity depends on free choice, but the role of varying degrees of responsibility remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how subjective and objective aspects of responsibility influence brain activity associated with regret.
To determine the neural correlates of regret under different levels of perceived and actual responsibility.

Main Methods:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity.
Participants provided subjective ratings of regret and responsibility.
Objective responsibility levels were manipulated during the experiment.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection

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Published on: August 26, 2011

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

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Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Published on: August 26, 2011

Main Results:

Subjective regret ratings correlated with both subjective and objective responsibility.
The amygdala showed an enhanced response to regretful outcomes associated with higher objective responsibility.
Orbitofrontal and cingulate cortex exhibited increased activity for regret-related outcomes when participants lacked objective responsibility.

Conclusions:

Brain processing of regret is modulated by both subjective feelings and objective measures of responsibility.
The amygdala plays a critical role in processing regret, particularly when individuals perceive themselves as responsible for outcomes.
Distinct neural regions (amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, cingulate cortex) show differential responses based on the degree of responsibility.