The human anatomy of authority over others and being under authority
The human anatomy of authority over others and being under authority involves complex interactions between various brain regions and functions. The prefrontal cortex, amygdala, insula, and striatum are some of the key areas involved in these processes.
When it comes to authority over others, the prefrontal cortex plays a crucial role in decision-making, planning, and executing actions. This region is responsible for:
cognitive control, which enables individuals to regulate their behavior and emotions in response to external stimuli.
In addition, the prefrontal cortex also plays a role in social cognition, which allows individuals to understand and respond appropriately to social cues.
The amygdala is another important area involved in authority over others. This region is responsible for:
processing emotional information
generating appropriate responses to threatening or rewarding stimuli. When individuals are placed in positions of authority, the amygdala may be activated when they perceive threats or challenges to their power or status.
The insula is also involved in authority over others. This region is responsible for:
interoception or the ability to perceive internal bodily sensations such as:
hunger,
thirst
pain.
It also plays a role in empathy
and emotional awareness, which allows individuals to understand and respond appropriately to the emotions of others.
When it comes to being under authority, the striatum plays a key role. This region is responsible for:
reward processing
reinforcement learning.
It is activated when individuals receive rewards or positive feedback from those in positions of authority.
Overall, the human anatomy of authority over others and being under authority involves complex interactions between various brain regions and functions.
Here are three authoritative references that provide more detail on this topic:
1. "The Neural Bases of Social Hierarchy" by Sukhvinder S. Obhi and Jocelyn Faubert (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4136786/)
This article provides an overview of the neural mechanisms underlying social hierarchy and the role of various brain regions in this process.
2. "The neuroscience of power" by Sukhvinder S. Obhi and Jeremy Hogeveen (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364661313002696)
This review article discusses the neural mechanisms underlying power and the effects of power on behavior, cognition, and emotion.
3. "The Social Neuroscience of Power" by Ana Guinote and Tanya L. Chartrand (https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115045)
This article provides an in-depth review of the social neuroscience of power, including the neural mechanisms underlying power dynamics, the effects of power on behavior and cognition, and the implications for social interactions and relationships.