By: D. Gage Jordan
Important brain regions
The empirical question, whether there is an overlap between physical and social pain, may best be answered by examining brain regions that might correspond to these two components of pain. Eisenberger and Lieberman (2004) reviewed evidence suggesting that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), an area of brain playing a crucial role in (1) volition; (2) goal-directed behavior; and (3) error detection and conflict monitoring, may be a crucial area. That is, within their review, they found that the dACC is also crucial for the felt unpleasantness of physical pain. Working in tandem with the dACC’s ability to monitor conflict, they proposed that this area functions as an alarm system in regard to the experience of pain. For example, imagine a smoke-detector you might find in your home. In order for it to properly function, a system that detects discrepancies from the desired standards (i.e., smoke in your home) is necessary, as well as a notification that there is some sort of threat. The idea of social pain can be applied to the “alarm system” arising from dACC functioning. For example, the dACC may note that there is conflict arising from a social situation, which in turn allows you to experience this unpleasantness in hopes of moving you toward a solution. Thus, the dACC might explain this overlap. Particularly given that activity in the dACC is emotionally-laden. See an image below that summaries some of the ACC’s functions:
Eisenberger, Lieberman, and Williams (2003) were among the first to examine the neural correlations of social exclusion, and whether this experience of pain corresponds to regions activated via physical pain. For their paradigm, they used the “Cyberball” task (not the classic NES game), wherein participants were able to play catch (virtually) with two other players. The players passed the ball back and forth in one condition (inclusion), but in the other condition, the participant did not receive any virtual catches (exclusion) condition. Here’s an example:
Chronic pain
Given that acute social pain (i.e., temporary exclusion) from the Cyberball task can affect the same regions of the brain associated with pain processing, recent research has recently examined the effects of chronic social pain. That is, the perceived social separation persistening even in the absence of social threats (Riva et al., 2014). Some consequences of chronic social pain include the inability to emotionally regulate, as well as decreases in one’s sense of control, self-esteem, perceived belongingness, and a search for a meaningful existence. Chronic social pain may also be considered within the real of psychopathology, then. Considering the symptoms of several diagnoses, such as depression and social anxiety, social pain may be a maintaining factor in these disorders. For example, symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) include feelings of worthlessness, diminished interest or pleasure in activities, and/or suicidal ideation. In addition, symptoms of social anxiety disorder (SAD) involve symtpoms highlighting the fear of negative evlauation. Whereas the relationship between chronic, social pain and psychopathology remains an empirical question, it is likely that these such disorders may be maintained or perpetuated by the perception of social pain, even when it is not still occurring. One study, however, has examined the relationship between brain functioning and “mental pain” or “psychache,” a term closely associated with social pain that involves feelings of defeat, shame, and humility (Shneidman, 1996; van Heeringen et al., 2010). Interestingly, they found that levels of mental pain in depressed patients significantly correlated with suicidal ideation, as well as prefrontal hyperactivity. Although the dACC was not focused on in this particularly study, results from van Heeringen and colleagues dovetail with previous neuroimaging studies of social pain. For example. Eisenberger and colleagues (2003) noted that activity in the prefrontal cortex was associated with diminished distress (i.e., from participation in the cyberball activity). Thus, when considering the results from van Heeringen and colleagues, one may infer that depressed persons may need to recruit more brain resources (as evidenced by hyperactivity) to cope with the distress associated with social pain.
In conclusion
Recent evidence suggests that social pain (e.g., bereavement, exclusion, or rejection) can be as harmful as physical pain. The effects of social pain can be readily seen within our conceptualization of psychological disorders such as social anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder. Indeed, it is likely that social pain may be the antecedent or maintaining factors surrounding such disorders. However, this remains an empirical question, and future research can benefit from an examination between neurological correlates of social pain and mental illness.
References
- Eisenberger, N. I. (2015). Social pain and the brain: Controversies, questions, and where to go from here. Annual Review of Psychology, 66, 601-629.
- Eisenberger, N. I., & Lieberman, M. D. (2004). Why rejection hurts: a common neural alarm system for physical and social pain. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 8, 294-300.
- Eisenberger, N. I., Lieberman, M. D., & Williams, K. D. (2003). Does rejection hurt? An fMRI study of social exclusion. Science, 302, 290-292.
- Riva, P., Wesselmann, E. D., Wirth, J. H., Carter-Sowell, A. R., & Williams, K. D. (2014). When pain does not heal: The common antecedents and consequences of chronic social and physical pain. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 36, 329-346.
- Shneidman, E. S. (1998). The suicidal mind. Oxford University Press, USA.
- van Heeringen, K., Van den Abbeele, D., Vervaet, M., Soenen, L., & Audenaert, K. (2010). The functional neuroanatomy of mental pain in depression. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 181, 141-144.