Distinct neurocomputational mechanisms support informational and socially normative conformity

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Social Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Social influence can lead to changes of mind through informational conformity (accuracy) or normative conformity (social norms).
• Distinguishing the neural basis of these conformity types has been challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To differentiate the behavioral, cognitive, and neurobiological underpinnings of informational and normative conformity.
• To identify distinct neural markers associated with each conformity type.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to monitor brain activity.
• Participants performed a perceptual task involving advice-taking and advice-giving with both human and computer partners.
• The study design included variations in social roles and partners to isolate conformity mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Distinct behavioral and neural markers for informational and normative conformity were identified.
• Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) activity correlated with informational conformity to both human and computer partners.
• Normative conformity showed distinct neural correlates, including increased functional coupling between dACC, dmPFC, and TPJ specifically during human interaction.

Conclusions:

• The findings differentiate the neural mechanisms underlying informational and normative conformity.
• This research provides insights into how different types of social influence shape changes of mind.