The Neural Basis of Independence Versus Interdependence Orientations: A Voxel-Based Morphometric Analysis of Brain Volume
通过对265名健康被试的脑结构成像分析，发现独立性（相对于互依性）取向与多个自我相关脑区（如腹内侧前额叶皮层）的灰质体积增大有关，揭示了社会文化取向的生物学基础。
Sociocultural research has established independence and interdependence as two fundamental ways of thinking about oneself and the social world. Recent neuroscience studies further demonstrate that these orientations modulate brain activity in various self- and socially related tasks. In the current study, we explored whether the traits of independence and interdependence are reflected in anatomical variations in brain structure. We carried out structural brain imaging on a large sample of healthy participants ( n = 265) who also completed self-report questionnaires of cultural orientations. Voxel-based morphometry analysis demonstrated that a relative focus of independence (vs. interdependence) was associated with increased gray-matter volume in a number of self-related regions, including ventromedial prefrontal cortex, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and right rostrolateral prefrontal cortex. These results provide novel insights into the biological basis of sociocultural orientations.