Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

False Memories

False Memories

False memories represent a cognitive distortion in which individuals recall events that did not happen, or remember them in an altered form. This phenomenon highlights the brain's constructive nature in processing and recalling memories, emphasizing that memory is not a perfect representation of past events but rather a dynamic reconstruction influenced by various factors.
One primary source of false memories is misattribution, where individuals incorrectly associate external information with...

Cognitive Learning

Cognitive Learning

Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...

Confirmation Biases

Confirmation Biases

The confirmation bias is the tendency to focus on information that confirms our existing beliefs and ignore information that is inconsistent with our expectations. For example, if you think that your professor is not very nice, you notice all of the instances of rude behavior exhibited by the professor while ignoring the countless pleasant interactions he is involved in on a daily basis. Have you ever fallen prey to the confirmation bias, either as the source or target of such bias?

Nonconscious Mimicry

Nonconscious Mimicry

Nonconscious mimicry occurs when individuals alter their mannerisms to match the behaviors and expressions of those nearby, without intention.

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Charles Darwin proposed that facial expressions are an evolutionary adaptation for communication. He argued that these expressions are not influenced by culture but are universal across species. For example, a snarling expression with exposed teeth signals a threat in many animals, including humans. Darwin also suggested that displaying an emotion can intensify the feeling. Smiling, for example, could enhance one's sense of happiness. This idea laid the foundation for understanding the role of...

Understanding Deception

Understanding Deception

Deception is a pervasive aspect of human communication. Empirical studies have shown that most individuals engage in some form of deceit on a daily basis, with approximately 20% of social exchanges involving deceptive elements. Lying follows a developmental trajectory, peaking during adolescence and declining with age, possibly due to the maturation of cognitive control and social accountability.Cognitive and Social Factors in Deception DetectionDespite its prevalence, accurately detecting...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Neural implementation of computational mechanisms underlying the continuous trade-off between cooperation and competition.

Nature communications·2022

Same author

Contributions of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex to Social Influence in Economic Decision-Making.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2017

Same author

The anatomy of apathy: A neurocognitive framework for amotivated behaviour.

Neuropsychologia·2017

Same author

Human Cerebellar Sub-millimeter Diffusion Imaging Reveals the Motor and Non-motor Topography of the Dentate Nucleus.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2016

Same author

The anterior cingulate cortex: monitoring the outcomes of others' decisions.

Social neuroscience·2011

Same author

Cerebellar information processing in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Behavioural neurology·2010

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Published on: April 15, 2015

Reinforcement learning signals in the anterior cingulate cortex code for others' false beliefs.

M A J Apps¹, R Green, N Ramnani

¹Dept. of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK. m.apps@rhul.ac.uk

|September 18, 2012

Summary

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) signals prediction errors (PEs) when others hold false beliefs. A specific region, the gyral ACC, appears specialized for processing these PEs in others.

More Related Videos

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

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

Published on: September 28, 2018

Employing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in a Resource Limited Environment to Establish Brain-Behavior Relationships

Employing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in a Resource Limited Environment to Establish Brain-Behavior Relationships

Published on: April 20, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 18, 2026

Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Published on: April 15, 2015

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

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

Published on: September 28, 2018

Employing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in a Resource Limited Environment to Establish Brain-Behavior Relationships

Employing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in a Resource Limited Environment to Establish Brain-Behavior Relationships

Published on: April 20, 2022

Area of Science:

Cognitive Neuroscience
Neuroeconomics
Social Cognition

Background:

Understanding others' mental states, including false beliefs, is crucial for social interaction.
Reinforcement Learning (RL) models first-person decision-making using prediction errors (PEs).
The Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) is implicated in coding PEs during RL.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether the ACC signals PEs associated with others' false beliefs.
To explore the neural mechanisms underlying the understanding of others' decision outcomes.

Main Methods:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to scan subjects.
Subjects monitored third-person decisions and computer-generated responses.
Trial outcomes were manipulated to create unexpected results, generating PEs.

Main Results:

Gyral ACC activity correlated with unexpectedly positive outcomes of third-person decisions.
Sulcal ACC activity was observed for unexpectedly positive outcomes in both third-person and computer trials.
These findings suggest a specialized role for the gyral ACC in processing others' PEs.

Conclusions:

The ACC appears to code PEs, extending beyond self-relevant learning.
A distinct subregion, the gyral ACC, may be specialized for processing prediction errors related to others' beliefs.
This research sheds light on the neural basis of understanding false beliefs in others.