Empatia ed effetti della stimolazione subliminale/sovraliminale nella risposta mimica facciale. Uno studio rTMS

Translated title of the contribution: [Autom. eng. transl.] Empathy and effects of subliminal / supraliminal stimulation in facial mimic response. An rTMS study

Michela Balconi, Adriana Bortolotti, Chiara Rizzetti

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

[Autom. eng. transl.] Introduction: The facial mimic response is an integral part of the empathic "resonance" processes in response to situations with a high emotional impact, forming part of the "embodied cognition" circuit. Moreover, these processes fall only partially within the subjective awareness, since automatic mechanisms are also present. This paper examined mimic attunement in response to emotional facial patterns in a condition of supraiminal stimulation vs. subliminal, in order to analyze the contribution of different cortical networks in the two stimulation conditions. Method: 15 subjects took part in the study. The experimental design involves the use of rTMS (Hz 1) with the intent to verify the contribution of specific motor areas (premotor area) in the mimic response, through an inhibitory paradigm. In addition, the subjects' autonomic (EMG) responses were monitored in a task of recognizing six emotional patterns, as well as self-report and psychometric indices (BEES scale) related to the degree of empathic experience expressed. Results: The behavioral response data (recognition correctness, TR) and psychophysiological data were subjected to a set of repeated measures ANOVA. The analyzes allow to detect the presence of consistent effects of rTMS, with reduction of the empathic mimic response following inhibition of premotor areas, for both subliminal and supraiminal stimulation conditions. This data appears to be supported both by autonomic measures and by self-report indices. Conclusions: The data allow us to formulate explanatory hypotheses about the presence of implicit automatic response mechanisms in empathic mimicry, in light of the functional role of the stimulated cortical areas.
Translated title of the contribution[Autom. eng. transl.] Empathy and effects of subliminal / supraliminal stimulation in facial mimic response. An rTMS study
Original languageItalian
Title of host publicationAtti del «XVI Congresso annuale Associazione Italiana di Psicologia - Sez. Psicologia Sperimentale»
Pages72-73
Number of pages2
Publication statusPublished - 2010
EventXVI Congresso annuale Associazione Italiana di Psicologia - Sez. Psicologia Sperimentale - Bologna
Duration: 2 Sept 20103 Sept 2010

Conference

ConferenceXVI Congresso annuale Associazione Italiana di Psicologia - Sez. Psicologia Sperimentale
CityBologna
Period2/9/103/9/10

Keywords

  • neuropsicologia

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of '[Autom. eng. transl.] Empathy and effects of subliminal / supraliminal stimulation in facial mimic response. An rTMS study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this