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

Charlotte C van Schie; Chui-De Chiu; Serge A R B Rombouts; Willem J Heiser; Bernet M Elzinga

doi:10.1093/scan/nsy014

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

Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2018 Apr 1;13(4):404-417. doi: 10.1093/scan/nsy014.

Authors

Charlotte C van Schie^{1

2}, Chui-De Chiu³, Serge A R B Rombouts^{1

2

4}, Willem J Heiser^{1

5}, Bernet M Elzinga^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9555, 2300 RB Leiden, The Netherlands.
² Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, P.O.Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
³ Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
⁴ Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
⁵ Mathematical Institute, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9512, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.

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.

Keywords: fMRI; self-concept; self-esteem; self-referential processing; social feedback.