Pain of social rejection activates physical pain area in brain

The pain of social rejection can be as real as a broken leg, reveals brain
study
By David Derbyshire, Science Correspondent
(Filed: 10/10/2003)


The heartache of rejection is just as real as the pain of a stubbed toe or
broken leg, according to a brain study. Scientists have discovered that hurt
feelings affect the same region of the brain as that which deals with physical
agony.


A brain scan showing the anterior cingulate cortex
The findings help explain why we reach for words such as "heartache" and
"gut-wrenching" when trying to describe emotional turmoil. They also suggest
that humans have evolved to treat social exclusion as seriously as an injury.

Dr Matt Lieberman, a social psychologist at the University of California, Los
Angeles, who worked on the study with his colleague Dr Naomi Eisenberger, said:
"When someone hurts your feelings, it really hurts you.

"I wouldn't want to be quoted as saying that physical pain and social pain are
the same thing, but it seems that some of the same things are going on."

Dr Lieberman and colleagues used functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
brain scans to find out how social distress affected the brains of 13
volunteers. The findings are published today in Science.

The volunteers were asked to play a computer game in which they tossed a
virtual reality ball around with other players as their brains were scanned.
They could join in the game by controlling a hand at the bottom of the screen.

The volunteers were told that they were playing with two other people, but in
fact the other two figures were controlled by the computer.

Initially they were told that they could not join in the game because of a
technical fault. Then, after they were allowed to play for a few minutes, the
computer began to exclude the volunteers deliberately. For 45 throws they were
not passed the ball.

"It is just heart-breaking to watch," said Dr Lieberman. "The volunteers keep
indicating that they are ready to be thrown to. This really affects the person
afterwards. They report feeling social distress."

When the volunteers were left out of the throwing game, a part of their brain
called the anterior cingulate cortex lit up. The same region is involved in
stomach pains. Another region, the right ventral prefrontal cortex, was
activated only when exclusion was thought to be deliberate.

Dr Lieberman said it made sense for humans to be programmed in this way because
social interaction was important for survival.

3 October 2003[Health]: A cuddle can make it better


Previous story: Minister on a mission to sink road schemes
Next story: Final cries of couple killed by bear

Related reports

connected.telegraph


External links

Social Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory - University of California, Los
Angeles

American Pain Society

Science magazine


Interesting in light of the suicide of 12 yo in CT. .....:C'mon people now,
smile on your brother, everybody get together, try and love one another right
now.

This is a follow up to my previous posting on psych dx.

There are some fascinating new areas of research being pursued in the area of
brain imaging.











© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2003. Terms & Conditions of reading.
Commercial information. Privacy Policy.

What a great reason to not hit children! Spanked children are less socially
competent that children raised with parenting strategies that teach and model
appropriate social skills.

LaVonne

Fern5827 wrote:

The pain of social rejection can be as real as a broken leg, reveals brain
study
By David Derbyshire, Science Correspondent
(Filed: 10/10/2003)

The heartache of rejection is just as real as the pain of a stubbed toe or
broken leg, according to a brain study. Scientists have discovered that hurt
feelings affect the same region of the brain as that which deals with physical
agony.


A brain scan showing the anterior cingulate cortex
The findings help explain why we reach for words such as "heartache" and
"gut-wrenching" when trying to describe emotional turmoil. They also suggest
that humans have evolved to treat social exclusion as seriously as an injury.

Dr Matt Lieberman, a social psychologist at the University of California, Los
Angeles, who worked on the study with his colleague Dr Naomi Eisenberger, said:
"When someone hurts your feelings, it really hurts you.

"I wouldn't want to be quoted as saying that physical pain and social pain are
the same thing, but it seems that some of the same things are going on."

Dr Lieberman and colleagues used functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
brain scans to find out how social distress affected the brains of 13
volunteers. The findings are published today in Science.

The volunteers were asked to play a computer game in which they tossed a
virtual reality ball around with other players as their brains were scanned.
They could join in the game by controlling a hand at the bottom of the screen.

The volunteers were told that they were playing with two other people, but in
fact the other two figures were controlled by the computer.

Initially they were told that they could not join in the game because of a
technical fault. Then, after they were allowed to play for a few minutes, the
computer began to exclude the volunteers deliberately. For 45 throws they were
not passed the ball.

"It is just heart-breaking to watch," said Dr Lieberman. "The volunteers keep
indicating that they are ready to be thrown to. This really affects the person
afterwards. They report feeling social distress."

When the volunteers were left out of the throwing game, a part of their brain
called the anterior cingulate cortex lit up. The same region is involved in
stomach pains. Another region, the right ventral prefrontal cortex, was
activated only when exclusion was thought to be deliberate.

Dr Lieberman said it made sense for humans to be programmed in this way because
social interaction was important for survival.

3 October 2003[Health]: A cuddle can make it better

Previous story: Minister on a mission to sink road schemes
Next story: Final cries of couple killed by bear

Related reports

connected.telegraph


External links

Social Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory - University of California, Los
Angeles

American Pain Society

Science magazine


Interesting in light of the suicide of 12 yo in CT. .....:C'mon people now,
smile on your brother, everybody get together, try and love one another right
now.

This is a follow up to my previous posting on psych dx.

There are some fascinating new areas of research being pursued in the area of
brain imaging.







© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2003. Terms & Conditions of reading.
Commercial information. Privacy Policy.

Spanked children are less socially
competent that children raised with parenting strategies that teach and model
appropriate social skills.


Define your terms, Lavonne.

Children may INTERPRET ANY REJECTION as equivalent to physical pain.

Therefore, if a parent places a child in his room, the despair of *separation
anxiety* may be equivalent to a SPANKING.

http://www.hslda.org Home schooling site and attorney site for CPS
illegalities.


Subject: Pain of social rejection activates physical pain area in brain
From: LaVonne Carlson
Date: 10/12/2003 8:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

What a great reason to not hit children! Spanked children are less socially
competent that children raised with parenting strategies that teach and model
appropriate social skills.

LaVonne

Fern5827 wrote:

The pain of social rejection can be as real as a broken leg, reveals brain
study
By David Derbyshire, Science Correspondent
(Filed: 10/10/2003)

The heartache of rejection is just as real as the pain of a stubbed toe or
broken leg, according to a brain study. Scientists have discovered that
hurt
feelings affect the same region of the brain as that which deals with
physical
agony.


A brain scan showing the anterior cingulate cortex
The findings help explain why we reach for words such as "heartache" and
"gut-wrenching" when trying to describe emotional turmoil. They also
suggest
that humans have evolved to treat social exclusion as seriously as an
injury.

Dr Matt Lieberman, a social psychologist at the University of California,
Los
Angeles, who worked on the study with his colleague Dr Naomi Eisenberger,
said:
"When someone hurts your feelings, it really hurts you.

"I wouldn't want to be quoted as saying that physical pain and social pain
are
the same thing, but it seems that some of the same things are going on."

Dr Lieberman and colleagues used functional magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI)
brain scans to find out how social distress affected the brains of 13
volunteers. The findings are published today in Science.

The volunteers were asked to play a computer game in which they tossed a
virtual reality ball around with other players as their brains were
scanned.
They could join in the game by controlling a hand at the bottom of the
screen.

The volunteers were told that they were playing with two other people, but
in
fact the other two figures were controlled by the computer.

Initially they were told that they could not join in the game because of a
technical fault. Then, after they were allowed to play for a few minutes,
the
computer began to exclude the volunteers deliberately. For 45 throws they
were
not passed the ball.

"It is just heart-breaking to watch," said Dr Lieberman. "The volunteers
keep
indicating that they are ready to be thrown to. This really affects the
person
afterwards. They report feeling social distress."

When the volunteers were left out of the throwing game, a part of their
brain
called the anterior cingulate cortex lit up. The same region is involved in
stomach pains. Another region, the right ventral prefrontal cortex, was
activated only when exclusion was thought to be deliberate.

Dr Lieberman said it made sense for humans to be programmed in this way
because
social interaction was important for survival.

3 October 2003[Health]: A cuddle can make it better

Previous story: Minister on a mission to sink road schemes
Next story: Final cries of couple killed by bear

Related reports

connected.telegraph


External links

Social Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory - University of California, Los
Angeles

American Pain Society

Science magazine


Interesting in light of the suicide of 12 yo in CT. .....:C'mon people
now,
smile on your brother, everybody get together, try and love one another
right
now.

This is a follow up to my previous posting on psych dx.

There are some fascinating new areas of research being pursued in the area
of
brain imaging.







© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2003. Terms & Conditions of reading.
Commercial information. Privacy Policy.

Fern5827 wrote:

Spanked children are less socially
competent that children raised with parenting strategies that teach and model
appropriate social skills.


Children may INTERPRET ANY REJECTION as equivalent to physical pain.

So why spank? If spanked children experience the pain of social rejection that
activates the physical pain area of the brain, this is simply another reason not
to spank.

Therefore, if a parent places a child in his room, the despair of *separation
anxiety* may be equivalent to a SPANKING.

Doesn't matter, Fern. We are talking about spanking on this ng, and you have
made an additional argument against spanking children.

LaVonne



http://www.hslda.org Home schooling site and attorney site for CPS
illegalities.

Subject: Pain of social rejection activates physical pain area in brain
From: LaVonne Carlson
Date: 10/12/2003 8:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

What a great reason to not hit children! Spanked children are less socially
competent that children raised with parenting strategies that teach and model
appropriate social skills.

LaVonne

Fern5827 wrote:

The pain of social rejection can be as real as a broken leg, reveals brain
study
By David Derbyshire, Science Correspondent
(Filed: 10/10/2003)

The heartache of rejection is just as real as the pain of a stubbed toe or
broken leg, according to a brain study. Scientists have discovered that
hurt
feelings affect the same region of the brain as that which deals with
physical
agony.


A brain scan showing the anterior cingulate cortex
The findings help explain why we reach for words such as "heartache" and
"gut-wrenching" when trying to describe emotional turmoil. They also
suggest
that humans have evolved to treat social exclusion as seriously as an
injury.

Dr Matt Lieberman, a social psychologist at the University of California,
Los
Angeles, who worked on the study with his colleague Dr Naomi Eisenberger,
said:
"When someone hurts your feelings, it really hurts you.

"I wouldn't want to be quoted as saying that physical pain and social pain
are
the same thing, but it seems that some of the same things are going on."

Dr Lieberman and colleagues used functional magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI)
brain scans to find out how social distress affected the brains of 13
volunteers. The findings are published today in Science.

The volunteers were asked to play a computer game in which they tossed a
virtual reality ball around with other players as their brains were
scanned.
They could join in the game by controlling a hand at the bottom of the
screen.

The volunteers were told that they were playing with two other people, but
in
fact the other two figures were controlled by the computer.

Initially they were told that they could not join in the game because of a
technical fault. Then, after they were allowed to play for a few minutes,
the
computer began to exclude the volunteers deliberately. For 45 throws they
were
not passed the ball.

"It is just heart-breaking to watch," said Dr Lieberman. "The volunteers
keep
indicating that they are ready to be thrown to. This really affects the
person
afterwards. They report feeling social distress."

When the volunteers were left out of the throwing game, a part of their
brain
called the anterior cingulate cortex lit up. The same region is involved in
stomach pains. Another region, the right ventral prefrontal cortex, was
activated only when exclusion was thought to be deliberate.

Dr Lieberman said it made sense for humans to be programmed in this way
because
social interaction was important for survival.

3 October 2003[Health]: A cuddle can make it better

Previous story: Minister on a mission to sink road schemes
Next story: Final cries of couple killed by bear

Related reports

connected.telegraph


External links

Social Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory - University of California, Los
Angeles

American Pain Society

Science magazine


Interesting in light of the suicide of 12 yo in CT. .....:C'mon people
now,
smile on your brother, everybody get together, try and love one another
right
now.

This is a follow up to my previous posting on psych dx.

There are some fascinating new areas of research being pursued in the area
of
brain imaging.







© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2003. Terms & Conditions of reading.
Commercial information. Privacy Policy.

We speak on this NG about spanking and CPS.

CPS= Catching Parents Spanking

Remember Ms. Toogood?

Lavonne has a short memory.

http://www.profane-justice.org Colorado site of Suzanne Shell who helps
families with DHS, DFS, DSHS, DCS matters.

On Mon, 13 Oct 2003, LaVonne Carlson wrote:



Fern5827 wrote:

Spanked children are less socially
competent that children raised with parenting strategies that teach and model
appropriate social skills.


Children may INTERPRET ANY REJECTION as equivalent to physical pain.

So why spank? If spanked children experience the pain of social rejection that
activates the physical pain area of the brain, this is simply another reason not
to spank.

So what is the non-cp alternatives and how do they compared under the same
conditions?

Therefore, if a parent places a child in his room, the despair of *separation
anxiety* may be equivalent to a SPANKING.

Doesn't matter, Fern. We are talking about spanking on this ng, and you have
made an additional argument against spanking children.

Only on your mind! Tell me what Swedish parents do instead of spanking?

Doan

Fern needs to stop relying on internet propaganda sites for her information.
She needs to learn that academic libraries exist, and if this is too
difficult for her, she needs to learn to filter opinion and propaganda from
research and facts -- both are available on the internet. Fern chooses
propaganda. Of course, she only needs to do this if she care sabout her
credibility -- which appears doubtful.

LaVonne

Fern5827 wrote:

We speak on this NG about spanking and CPS.

CPS= Catching Parents Spanking

Remember Ms. Toogood?

Lavonne has a short memory.

http://www.profane-justice.org Colorado site of Suzanne Shell who helps
families with DHS, DFS, DSHS, DCS matters.