A job interview in the MRI scanner: How does indirectness affect addressees and overhearers?

摘要: In using language, people not only exchange information, but also navigate their social world - for example, they can express themselves indirectly to avoid losing face. this functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we investigated the neural correlates of interpreting face-saving indirect replies, in a situation where participants overheard replies as part conversation between two other people, well were directly addressed themselves. We created fictional job interview context serve natural communicative strategy attenuate one's shortcomings, and asked fMRI either pose scripted questions receive answers from three putative candidates (addressee condition) or listen someone else same (overhearer condition). both cases, need evaluate candidate ensured that had an active interest comprehending replies. Relative direct increased activation medial prefrontal cortex, bilateral temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), inferior frontal gyrus middle temporal gyrus, overhearers addressees alike, with similar effect size, comparable findings obtained earlier passive listening study (Basnakova et al., 2014). contrast, indirectness effects anterior insula pregenual ACC, regions implicated emotional salience empathy, reliably stronger than overhearers. Our indicate understanding language requires additional cognitive perspective-taking discourse-relevant processing, extent addressees. Furthermore, draws upon affective systems more overhearers, presumably because addressee is one being managed by reply. all, provides window on affect-related involved human communication.