How TV drama shapes social maps in brain, and why conflict stands out

Study shows how brain activity reflects dramatic social relationships

When watching a drama, we quickly learn who is friends with whom–and, just as importantly, who stands against whom.

How TV drama shapes social maps in brain, and why conflict stands out

When watching a drama, we quickly learn who is friends with whom—and, just as importantly, who stands against whom. But how does the brain organize this web of alliances, rivalries and conflicts? Researchers from the University of Osaka have shown that social relationships learned through a television drama are reflected in patterns of brain activity, especially when those relationships are antagonistic. These findings were published in Communic…

The Brain Prioritizes Spite Over Friendship

A new study demonstrates that the human brain constructs multidimensional social maps from narrative experiences using rivalries as primary anchors.

Your brain keeps track of rivals in a surprising way

Brain scans show conflict leaves stronger social maps than friendship. Continue reading Your brain keeps track of rivals in a surprising way on Tech Explorist.