Domain-specific neural correlates of self-evaluation in relation to sense of acceptance and rejection

Sociometer theory proposes that self-esteem reflects a global index of perceived relational value, whereas experiences of acceptance and rejection may be integrated more proximally through specific self-evaluation. Yet it remains unclear how perceived relational states themselves are associated with the neural processing of domain-specific self-evaluation. The present study focused on morality and competence-two central domains of self-evaluation that may be differentially linked to social acceptance and rejection. We examined the neural correlates of domain-specific self-evaluation in relation to perceived relational states in 45 Japanese adults (19 males). Participants assessed the extent to which trait adjectives described themselves or a celebrity during fMRI scanning and completed questionnaires assessing their sense of acceptance and sense of rejection. Results showed that sense of acceptance was negatively associated with medial prefrontal cortex activity during general self-evaluation and positively associated with putamen activation during evaluation of positive (vs. negative) self-traits. Sense of rejection was positively associated with temporal pole activation during competence (vs. moral) self-evaluation. No significant neural associations were observed for self-esteem. These findings suggest that perceived acceptance and rejection are associated with domain-general and domain-specific neural processes during self-evaluation. These findings imply that perceived relational states may be reflected in neural processes through which social information is incorporated into self-related processing.