Impression Formation in the Human Infant Brain.

ABSTRACT: Forming an impression of another person is an essential aspect of human social cognition linked to medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) function in adults. The current study examined the neurodevelopmental origins of impression formation by testing the hypothesis that infants rely on processes localized in mPFC when forming impressions about individuals who appear friendly or threatening. Infants' brain responses were measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy while watching 4 different face identities displaying either smiles or frowns directed toward or away from them (N = 77). This was followed by a looking preference test for these face identities (now displaying a neutral expression) using eyetracking. Our results show that infants' mPFC responses distinguish between smili

SUBMITTER: Krol KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7592636 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature