The current longitudinal study (n = 98) utilized a developmental cognitive neuroscience approach to examine whether and how variability in social perception is linked to social behavior in early human development. Cortical responses to processing dynamic faces were investigated using functional near-infrared spectroscopy at 7 months. Individual differences in sociability were measured using the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire at 18 months. Confirming previous work with infants and adults, functional near-infrared spectroscopy results show that viewing changing faces recruited superior temporal cortices in 7-month-old infants, adding to the view that this brain system is specialized in social perception from early in ontogeny. Our longitudinal results show that greater engagement of the right superior temporal cortex at 7 months predicts higher levels of sociability at 18 months. This suggests that early variability in social perception is linked to later differences in overtly displayed social behavior, providing novel longitudinal evidence for a social brain–behavior association.
This content will become publicly available on April 1, 2025
Dorso-medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) plays a vital role in social cognition and behavior among humans. Enhanced responses in dmPFC when viewing social scenes predict increased levels of sociability in adults. The current longitudinal study examined the association between dmPFC response and sociability in early development. Brain responses were measured in response to social smiles and frowns using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) at 11 months. Individual differences in sociability were measured using the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ) at 18 months. Our longitudinal results show that greater engagement of the dmPFC when processing social smiles, but not frowns, at 11 months predicts higher levels of sociability at 18 months. This demonstrates that early variability in dmPFC response during positive social interactions is linked to individual differences in overtly displayed social behavior. This supports the view that dmPFC plays an important role in social cognition and behavior from early in human ontogeny.
more » « less- Award ID(s):
- 2017229
- PAR ID:
- 10541653
- Publisher / Repository:
- MIT Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Imaging Neuroscience
- Volume:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 2837-6056
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1 to 8
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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