When compliments do not hit but critiques do: an fMRI study into self-esteem and self-knowledge in processing social feedback

Abstract

The way we view ourselves may play an important role in our responses to interpersonal interactions. In this study, we investigate how feedback valence, consistency of feedback with self-knowledge and global self-esteem influence affective and neural responses to social feedback. Participants (N = 46) with a high range of self-esteem levels performed the social feedback task in an MRI scanner. Negative, intermediate and positive feedback was provided, supposedly by another person based on a personal interview. Participants rated their mood and applicability of feedback to the self. Analyses on trial basis on neural and affective responses are used to incorporate applicability of individual feedback words. Lower self-esteem related to low mood especially after receiving non-applicable negative feedback. Higher self-esteem related to increased posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus activation (i.e. self-referential processing) for applicable negative feedback. Lower self-esteem related to decreased medial prefrontal cortex, insula, anterior cingulate cortex and posterior cingulate cortex activation (i.e. self-referential processing) during positive feedback and decreased temporoparietal junction activation (i.e. other referential processing) for applicable positive feedback. Self-esteem and consistency of feedback with self-knowledge appear to guide our affective and neural responses to social feedback. This may be highly relevant for the interpersonal problems that individuals face with low self-esteem and negative self-views.

Attributed social context and emotional content recruit frontal and limbic brain regions during virtual feedback processing

“…For instance, a stronger coupling between the amygdala and prefrontal regions was observed for participants with higher levels of neuroticism when presented with negative facial expressions (Cremers et al, 2010), as well as for participants with higher levels of trait anxiety when presented with negative words (Laeger et al, 2012). Moreover, in a recent study, participants, who ranged from having low to high self-esteem, received positive and negative feedback (van Schie et al, 2018). Enhanced activations for negative feedback in the PCC for participants with high self-esteem were observed.…”

“…Some of the reported activities might be malleable by individual differences, such as have been found in the pattern of amygdala responses (Cremers et al, 2010;Laeger et al, 2012), and in the mPFC, ACC, PCC, and insula (van Schie et al, 2018). For instance, a stronger coupling between the amygdala and prefrontal regions was observed for participants with higher levels of neuroticism when presented with negative facial expressions (Cremers et al, 2010), as well as for participants with higher levels of trait anxiety when presented with negative words (Laeger et al, 2012).…”

“…Chaminade et al, 2012;Kircher et al, 2009). Changes in mPFC, ACC, and PCC activity due to positive, negative, or neutral verbal feedback have recently been interpreted as reflecting different degrees of self-referential processing (van Schie et al, 2018). Such reflective processes (Lieberman, 2007) may lead to an adaptation of self-ratings to peer evaluation, which, however, seem more likely for positive peer evaluation (Korn et al, 2012).…”

When I relive a positive me: Vivid autobiographical memories facilitate autonoetic brain activation and enhance mood

“…Participants also performed a social feedback (SF) task in the scanner (see van Schie, Chiu, Rombouts, Heiser, and Elzinga (2018)). During the second appointment, participants performed the "reliving autobiographical memories" (RAM) task.…”

“…During the second appointment, participants performed the "reliving autobiographical memories" (RAM) task. Participants also performed a social feedback (SF) task in the scanner (see van Schie, Chiu, Rombouts, Heiser, and Elzinga (2018)). There was no significant change in state self-esteem from baseline to after the SF task or before the RAM task, see Figure S2 and thus the RAM task was analyzed in isolation.…”