Brain scans reveal how films trigger fear of social rejection
Researchers used films to map which brain regions activate when people fear being socially excluded—finding the right amygdala lights up during rejection scenarios. The discovery could reshape how entertainment companies design content and help clinicians identify people vulnerable to anxiety disorders.
Originaltitel: Right Amygdala Synchronization and the Risk of Social Rejection: A Neurocinematic Study Using the Cinegraph
<p>Building on the growing use of films as neuroscientific stimuli, this study explores a filmmaker's insight into the results. Using the Cinegraph, a novel visualization method displaying the intersubject correlation of left vs. right amygdala alongside the stimuli film, this research tests the feasibility of applying dramaturgy analysis to neuroscientific data. The results reveal significant ISC lateralization of the right vs. left amygdala during the film; dramaturgical analysis suggests the risk of social rejection (ROSR) as a central dramatic theme underlying the right amygdala's engagement. To the author's knowledge, this is the first study investigating lateralization of the amygdala using film dramaturgy.</p>