Distinct neural representations for prosocial and self-benefiting effort

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Social Psychology
• Behavioral Economics

Background:

• Prosocial behaviors are crucial for well-being, but the role of effort costs in these actions is understudied.
• Understanding how the brain processes effort is key to understanding prosocial decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how the brain encodes effort costs associated with prosocial versus self-benefiting actions.
• To identify neural mechanisms distinguishing the processing of effort in helping others versus oneself.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a decision-making task involving exerting physical effort for self or others.
• Multivariate representational similarity analysis and model-based univariate analysis to examine neural representations of effort.

Main Results:

• A unique neural signature for effort in prosocial acts was identified in the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACCg), absent for self-benefiting efforts.
• Stronger ACCg representations of prosocial effort correlated with higher empathy and greater exerted force to help others.
• Value-based brain regions (ventral tegmental area, ventral insula) preferentially encoded self-benefiting choices.

Conclusions:

• The anterior cingulate gyrus plays a critical role in encoding the effort costs specifically associated with prosocial behavior.
• Neural mechanisms for effort in prosocial acts differ from those for self-benefiting actions.
• Effort is a key factor in the neural circuits guiding altruistic behavior.