Temporal distance insulates against immediate social pain: An NIRS study of social exclusion

Abstract

Social exclusion often evokes social pain in excluded individuals. Although this pain can trigger various interpersonal difficulties (e.g., aggression, depression), it is still unclear which psychological approach might best help to regulate social pain. However, recent work suggests that temporal distance helps to facilitate adaptive coping and self-control. The present study measured ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) activity during social exclusion, using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to examine the functional relationship between "temporal distance approach," or thinking about the distant future, and the social pain regulation process. Participants that imagined the distant future, next year, and beyond, felt less social pain and showed increased right (r)VLPFC activity during social exclusion, as compared to imagining events in the near future, such as tonight and tomorrow. Furthermore, rVLPFC activity mediated the relationship between temporal distance and social pain. On the basis of these findings, the effect of temporal distance on the process of adaptation after social exclusion is discussed. It is suggested that temporal distance moderates the process of regulating the impact of social exclusion.

Is dorsal anterior cingulate cortex activation in response to social exclusion due to expectancy violation? An fMRI study

“…Participants in the present study felt more social pain during exclusion, as was the case with past studies using the same design (Bolling et al, 2011b) or the original Cyberball design featuring longer inclusion and exclusion trial blocks (e.g., Williams et al, 2000; Onoda et al, 2009; Yanagisawa et al, 2011a,b). Social exclusion is so highly baneful for primates that members of these species are quite sensitive to its potential effects (Kling et al, 1970; Silk et al, 2003).…”

“…A simple interactive computer-based ball-tossing game called Cyberball (Williams et al, 2000) has been used to manipulate social exclusion in various social psychology and neuroscience investigations (e.g., Eisenberger et al, 2003; Zadro et al, 2004; van Beest and Williams, 2006; Onoda et al, 2009, 2010; Yanagisawa et al, 2011a,b). In this paradigm, two or three ostensible players throw the ball to the participant and to one another, such that the participant can be included in the game or excluded.…”

“…This region is also known to be activated during the experience of physical pain (e.g., Rainville et al, 1997; Sawamoto et al, 2000) and is thought to work as a neural alarm system (Eisenberger and Lieberman, 2004). In contrast, right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (rVLPFC) activation in response to social exclusion has been shown to correlate negatively with social pain (e.g., Eisenberger et al, 2003; Yanagisawa et al, 2011a,b). This region is known to be involved in the regulation of distress associated with physical pain as well as other negative emotional experiences (e.g., Hariri et al, 2000; Petrovic et al, 2002; Lieberman et al, 2004, 2007).…”

Rapid heartbeat, but dry palms: reactions of heart rate and skin conductance levels to social rejection

“…In summary, social rejection generally elicits negative mood, emotional distress, and reduced feelings of belonging, self-esteem, and control (e.g., Williams et al, 2000; Leary et al, 2001; Buckley et al, 2004; Zadro et al, 2004; Gonsalkorale and Williams, 2007; Williams, 2007). At the same time, social exclusion activates neural networks that are associated with the processing of pain and distress (Eisenberger et al, 2003, 2007, 2011; Eisenberger and Lieberman, 2004; Somerville et al, 2006; Krill and Platek, 2009; Onoda et al, 2009, 2010; Yanagisawa et al, 2011a,b; DeWall et al, 2012; Kawamoto et al, 2012), in particular the dorsal anterior cingulated cortex (dACC) and the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (rVLPFC). On a hormonal level, several studies reported enhanced cortisol activity in response to rejection (Stroud et al, 2002; Blackhart et al, 2007; Zwolinski, 2008), which corresponds to the hypothesis that the cortisol-eliciting hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) stress axis is responsive to social threat (Erickson et al, 2003; Dickerson and Kemeny, 2004; Lovallo et al, 2012).…”

This too shall pass: Temporal distance and the regulation of emotional distress.

“…While avoidance may successfully reduce momentary distress, it is believed to be an ineffective and even counterproductive strategy in the long run because it prevents full processing of the emotions associated with negative experiences (e.g., Foa & Kozak, 1986;McIsaac & Eich, 2002. Given prior researchers' suggestion that temporal distancing works by giving rise to a "state of detachment" from one's immediate emotional experiences (Yanagisawa et al, 2011), this possibility merits further exploration.…”