Researchers from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, the University of Amsterdam and the University of Chieti have teamed up to investigate the brain mechanisms behind blushing. Blushing, a familiar experience for most, involves a reddening of the face and is often associated with feelings of self-consciousness. The study aimed to understand the cognitive processes underlying this unique human expression (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Singing for science: using karaoke to examine blushing
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Blushing More About Self-Perception Than Social Judgment
Traditionally, blushing has been linked to the idea of worrying about how others perceive us. However, the new research suggests a different story. Milica Nikolic, a developmental psychologist, highlights the lack of knowledge regarding the cognitive skills involved in blushing. Darwin’s idea that blushing is triggered by thoughts about other people’s opinions, which requires complex cognitive skills, is challenged by this study.
The researchers used MRI scans to monitor brain activity while measuring participants’ cheek temperature, an indicator of blushing. Participants, all female adolescents known to be sensitive to social judgment, were asked to sing challenging karaoke songs in one session. In another session, they watched recordings of their own singing while their brain activity and physiological responses were measured. To heighten self-consciousness, they were told an audience would be watching the recordings.
The Blush Response: Brain Areas Involved
The study revealed that participants blushed more while watching their own recordings compared to others’. Interestingly, the brain areas activated during blushing were not what researchers expected. Increased activity occurred in the cerebellum, known for movement and coordination, but recent research suggests its role in emotional processing as well. Activation was also found in early visual areas, suggesting the videos of their own singing captured the most attention.
There was no activation in brain regions typically associated with understanding the mental states of oneself or others. This finding led Nikolic to conclude that thinking about others’ thoughts might not be necessary for blushing to occur. Blushing may be part of the automatic arousal experienced when something self-relevant is exposed.
The research team plans to investigate blushing under different conditions and potentially study the phenomenon in younger children before they develop the ability to think about the thoughts of others. Understanding the mechanisms of blushing can not only improve treatment for social anxiety but also provide general insights into this common human experience.
Reference:
- Singing for science: using karaoke to examine blushing – (https://www.uva.nl/en/shared-content/faculteiten/en/faculteit-der-maatschappij-en-gedragswetenschappen/news/2024/07/using-karaoke-to-examine-blushing.html)
Source-Medindia
