Naomi Eisenberger

Last updated
Naomi I. Eisenberger
Alma mater University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (PhD)
OccupationProfessor of psychology
EmployerUCLA
AwardsAPA Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology

Naomi I. Eisenberger (born in San Francisco) is a social psychologist known for her research on the neural basis of social pain and social connection. [1] [2] [3] She is professor of social psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where she directs the Social and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory and co-directs the Social Cognitive Science laboratory.

Contents

Eisenberger was the 2012 winner of the IUPsyS Young Investigator Award in Applied Science [4] and the 2013 winner of the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology (area: Social Psychology)." [5] Her award citation noted that "Eisenberger's innovative program of research has brought together neural, experiential, genetic and physiological measures to better define the role that social ties play in individuals’ emotional and physical well-being. Her discovery that the neural bases of social pain overlap with the neural bases of physical pain is a landmark finding in social neuroscience. [6]

Biography

Eisenberger grew up in San Francisco. She completed her undergraduate and graduate studies at UCLA, where she was mentored by Margaret Kemeny and Shelley Taylor.[ citation needed ]

Eisenberger is married to professor Matthew Lieberman and they have a son. [7] Together they have co-authored several research papers.[ citation needed ]

Research

Eisenberger's main interests (as listed on her personal website) are the neural basis of social rejection and social connection, and the relationship between social support and physical health. Her work in this area has emphasized the profound impact of social relationships on emotional and physical well-being. Her work suggests a connection between rejection and actual physical pain. For example, after a break up, one or both parties often complain of a broken heart. [8]

Her most cited work explores social rejection and the neural regions it activates. According to Eisenberger, the same neural regions that are activated in response to physical pain are also activated when one feels socially excluded. The feeling of social exclusion can be caused by exclusion from one person or a group of people. Her paper Does Rejection Hurt? An fMRI study of social exclusion [9] , [10] tested the hypothesis that the brain bases of social pain are similar to those of physical pain by examining the brain activity of participants who were excluded while playing a virtual ball tossing game. Participants were subject to FMRI scans while playing the virtual ball game and experiencing social exclusion, with analyses focusing on activity in the anterior cingulate cortex. The anterior cingulate cortex is activated when an automatic response is "inappropriate". The automatic response caused by physical pain is a frequent activator of the anterior cingulate cortex. The participants' scans showed that the anterior cingulate cortex was more active during the game when they were excluded than when they were included. The study also showed that the right ventral prefrontal cortex was active during exclusion and regulated the distress of social exclusion by disrupting activity in the anterior cingulate cortex. Almost identical results were found in studying brain activity associated with self-regulation of physical pain, suggesting a correlation between the neural mechanisms underlying social pain and physical pain, in support of Eisenberger's hypothesis. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anterior cingulate cortex</span> Brain region

In the human brain, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is the frontal part of the cingulate cortex that resembles a "collar" surrounding the frontal part of the corpus callosum. It consists of Brodmann areas 24, 32, and 33.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psychological pain</span> Unpleasant feeling of a psychological nature

Psychological pain, mental pain, or emotional pain is an unpleasant feeling of a psychological, non-physical origin. A pioneer in the field of suicidology, Edwin S. Shneidman, described it as "how much you hurt as a human being. It is mental suffering; mental torment." There is no shortage in the many ways psychological pain is referred to, and using a different word usually reflects an emphasis on a particular aspect of mind life. Technical terms include algopsychalia and psychalgia, but it may also be called mental pain, emotional pain, psychic pain, social pain, spiritual or soul pain, or suffering. While these clearly are not equivalent terms, one systematic comparison of theories and models of psychological pain, psychic pain, emotional pain, and suffering concluded that each describe the same profoundly unpleasant feeling. Psychological pain is widely believed to be an inescapable aspect of human existence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neuroeconomics</span> Interdisciplinary field

Neuroeconomics is an interdisciplinary field that seeks to explain human decision-making, the ability to process multiple alternatives and to follow through on a plan of action. It studies how economic behavior can shape our understanding of the brain, and how neuroscientific discoveries can guide models of economics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Insular cortex</span> Portion of the mammalian cerebral cortex

The insular cortex is a portion of the cerebral cortex folded deep within the lateral sulcus within each hemisphere of the mammalian brain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Affective neuroscience</span> Study of the neural mechanisms of emotion

Affective neuroscience is the study of how the brain processes emotions. This field combines neuroscience with the psychological study of personality, emotion, and mood. The basis of emotions and what emotions are remains an issue of debate within the field of affective neuroscience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social rejection</span> Deliberate exclusion of an individual from social relationship or social interaction

Social rejection occurs when an individual is deliberately excluded from a social relationship or social interaction. The topic includes interpersonal rejection, romantic rejection and familial estrangement. A person can be rejected or shunned by individuals or an entire group of people. Furthermore, rejection can be either active, by bullying, teasing, or ridiculing, or passive, by ignoring a person, or giving the "silent treatment". The experience of being rejected is subjective for the recipient, and it can be perceived when it is not actually present. The word "ostracism" is also commonly used to denote a process of social exclusion.

Social connection is the experience of feeling close and connected to others. It involves feeling loved, cared for, and valued, and forms the basis of interpersonal relationships.

"Connection is the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued; when they can give and receive without judgement; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship." —Brené Brown, Professor of social work at the University of Houston

The simulation theory of empathy holds that humans anticipate and make sense of the behavior of others by activating mental processes that, if they culminated in action, would produce similar behavior. This includes intentional behavior as well as the expression of emotions. The theory says that children use their own emotions to predict what others will do; we project our own mental states onto others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broken heart</span> Intense stress or pain one feels at experiencing longing

A broken heart is a metaphor for the intense emotional stress or pain one feels at experiencing great loss or deep longing. The concept is cross-cultural, often cited with reference to unreciprocated or lost love.

Consumer neuroscience is the combination of consumer research with modern neuroscience. The goal of the field is to find neural explanations for consumer behaviors in individuals both with or without disease.

The neural basis of self is the idea of using modern concepts of neuroscience to describe and understand the biological processes that underlie humans' perception of self-understanding. The neural basis of self is closely related to the psychology of self with a deeper foundation in neurobiology.

Social emotions are emotions that depend upon the thoughts, feelings or actions of other people, "as experienced, recalled, anticipated or imagined at first hand". Examples are embarrassment, guilt, shame, jealousy, envy, elevation, empathy, and pride. In contrast, basic emotions such as happiness and sadness only require the awareness of one's own physical state. Therefore, the development of social emotions is tightly linked with the development of social cognition, the ability to imagine other people's mental states, which generally develops in adolescence. Studies have found that children as young as 2 to 3 years of age can express emotions resembling guilt and remorse. However, while five-year-old children are able to imagine situations in which basic emotions would be felt, the ability to describe situations in which social emotions might be experienced does not appear until seven years of age.

Pain empathy is a specific variety of empathy that involves recognizing and understanding another person's pain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biological basis of personality</span>

The biological basis of personality is the collection of brain systems and mechanisms that underlie human personality. Human neurobiology, especially as it relates to complex traits and behaviors, is not well understood, but research into the neuroanatomical and functional underpinnings of personality are an active field of research. Animal models of behavior, molecular biology, and brain imaging techniques have provided some insight into human personality, especially trait theories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Lieberman</span>

Matthew Dylan Lieberman is a Professor and Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab Director at UCLA Department of Psychology, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mechanisms of mindfulness meditation</span>

Mindfulness has been defined in modern psychological terms as "paying attention to relevant aspects of experience in a nonjudgmental manner", and maintaining attention on present moment experience with an attitude of openness and acceptance. Meditation is a platform used to achieve mindfulness. Both practices, mindfulness and meditation, have been "directly inspired from the Buddhist tradition" and have been widely promoted by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to have a positive impact on several psychiatric problems such as depression and therefore has formed the basis of mindfulness programs such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based pain management. The applications of mindfulness meditation are well established, however the mechanisms that underlie this practice are yet to be fully understood. Many tests and studies on soldiers with PTSD have shown tremendous positive results in decreasing stress levels and being able to cope with problems of the past, paving the way for more tests and studies to normalize and accept mindful based meditation and research, not only for soldiers with PTSD, but numerous mental inabilities or disabilities.

Meditation and pain is the study of the physiological mechanisms underlying meditation-specifically its neural components- that implicate it in the reduction of pain perception.

Social cognitive neuroscience is the scientific study of the biological processes underpinning social cognition. Specifically, it uses the tools of neuroscience to study "the mental mechanisms that create, frame, regulate, and respond to our experience of the social world". Social cognitive neuroscience uses the epistemological foundations of cognitive neuroscience, and is closely related to social neuroscience. Social cognitive neuroscience employs human neuroimaging, typically using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Human brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct-current stimulation are also used. In nonhuman animals, direct electrophysiological recordings and electrical stimulation of single cells and neuronal populations are utilized for investigating lower-level social cognitive processes.

An empathy gap, sometimes referred to as an empathy bias, is a breakdown or reduction in empathy where it might otherwise be expected to occur. Empathy gaps may occur due to a failure in the process of empathizing or as a consequence of stable personality characteristics, and may reflect either a lack of ability or motivation to empathize.

Consoling touch is a pro-social behavior involving physical contact between a distressed individual and a caregiver. The physical contact, most commonly recognized in the form of a hand hold or embrace, is intended to comfort one or more of the participating individuals. Consoling touch is intended to provide consolation - to alleviate or lessen emotional or physical pain. This type of social support has been observed across species and cultures. Studies have found little difference in the applications of consoling touch, with minor differences in frequency occurrence across cultures. These findings suggest a degree of universality. It remains unclear whether the relationship between social touch and interpersonal emotional bonds reflect biologically driven or culturally normative behavior. Evidence of consoling touch in non-human primates, who embrace one another following distressing events, suggest a biological basis. Numerous studies of consoling touch in humans and animals unveil a consistent physiological response. An embrace from a friend, relative, or even stranger can trigger the release of oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin into the bloodstream. These neurotransmitters are associated with positive mood, numerous health benefits, and longevity. Cortisol, a stress hormone, also decreases. Studies have found that the degree of intimacy and quality of relationship between consoler and the consoled mediates physiological effects. In other words, while subjects experience reduced cortisol levels while holding the hand of a stranger, they exhibit a larger effect when receiving comfort from a trusted friend, and greater still, when holding the hand of a high quality romantic partner.

References

  1. Murphy, Heather (30 March 2019). "How Pain Tolerance and Anxiety Seem to Be Connected". The New York Times.
  2. "Social Pain | Edge.org". www.edge.org.
  3. "Experts in Emotion 9.3a -- Naomi Eisenberger on Social Pain and Pleasure". YouTube . 20 May 2013.
  4. "Winner: Young Investigator of the year (applied science) award - International Union of Psychological Science". www.iupsys.net.
  5. "2013 APA Distinguished Scientific Award recipients".
  6. "Naomi I. Eisenberger: Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology". American Psychologist. 68 (8): 646–648. 2013. doi:10.1037/a0034800.
  7. TEDxStLouis. "The social brain and its superpowers". YouTube.
  8. Szalavitz, Maia (27 February 2012). "In the Brain, Broken Hearts Hurt Like Broken Bones". Time.
  9. Eisenberger, Naomi I.; Lieberman, Matthew D.; Williams, Kipling D. (2003). "Does rejection hurt? An fMRI study of social exclusion". Science. 302 (5643): 290–292. doi:10.1126/science.1089134. PMID   14551436. S2CID   21253445.
  10. "Why Rejection Hurts | Edge.org". www.edge.org.
  11. Eisenberger, Naomi I. (2012). "The Neural Bases of Social Pain". Psychosomatic Medicine. 74 (2): 126–135. doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e3182464dd1. PMC   3273616 . PMID   22286852.