Neural Substrates of Intention–Consequence Integration and Its Impact on Reactive Punishment in Interpersonal Transgression

摘要: When evaluating interpersonal transgressions, people take into account both the consequential damage and intention of agent. The consequence, however, do not always match, as is case with accidents failed attempts. We combined an interactive game functional MRI to investigate neural substrates underlying processing its bearing on reactive punishment. participant interacted anonymous partners, who decided deliver pain stimulation either himself/herself or earn a monetary reward. In some cases, decision was reversed by computer. After delivery, partner's revealed. Unbeknownst partner, then allowed punish partner reducing his/her Behaviorally, punishment lower in accidental condition (unintended harm relative intended harm) but higher failed-attempt no-harm no-harm). Neurally, left amygdala/hippocampus activated conditions blameworthy (i.e., intentional attempt). (relative intentional) right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) anterior inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), while attempt genuine no-harm) insula (AI) posterior IFG. Effective connectivity analysis revealed that unintentional attempt) IFG received input from TPJ AI, sent regulatory signals amygdala. These findings demonstrate may gate emotional responses transgression regulate subsequent