Inter-individual differences in heart rate variability are associated with inter-individual differences in mind-reading.

ABSTRACT: In the present study, we investigated whether inter-individual differences in vagally-mediated cardiac activity (high frequency heart rate variability, HF-HRV) would be associated with inter-individual differences in mind-reading, a specific aspect of social cognition. To this end, we recorded resting state HF-HRV in 49 individuals before they completed the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, a test that required the identification of mental states on basis of subtle facial cues. As expected, inter-individual differences in HF-HRV were associated with inter-individual differences in mental state identification: Individuals with high HF-HRV were more accurate in the identification of positive but not negative states than individuals with low HF-HRV. Individuals with high HF-HRV may, thus, be

SUBMITTER: Lischke A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5599679 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature