A brain region called the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) maintains a structured map of a person's social circles, based on closeness. People that struggle with loneliness often perceive a gap between themselves and others. This gap is reflected by the activity patterns of the mPFC.
The researchers had the participants think of different groups of people (self, "close others", acquaintances, and celebrities) while being scanned in an fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging). The perceived closeness of the subject to the imagined targets were revealed in the scans. Further, the lonelier-feeling participants had reduced perception of similarity to others in all categories.
Journal Reference:
Andrea L. Courtney, Meghan L. Meyer. Self-other representation in the social brain reflects social connection [$], Journal of Neuroscience (DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2826-19.2020)
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Azuma Hazuki on Saturday June 20 2020, @10:32PM (6 children)
He's trolling you, you dumb shit. And you keep taking the bait. The thing is, much as I rag on him for his trolling, Ari isn't stupid and can bring some serious philosophical firepower to bear when he puts the effort in. I only wish he hadn't ruined his brand, as it were.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 0, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 20 2020, @10:39PM (1 child)
Quit apologizing for him. He's less popular than EF at this point.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Monday June 22 2020, @01:42PM
So? He brings a shitload more to the table than EF even when he *is* doing nothing but trolling. Popular means jack shit. He's still largely correct when he can be arsed to be serious for 5 minutes at a time.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 20 2020, @11:27PM (1 child)
He retreats into petty insults because he's not so smart as he'd like to appear.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 21 2020, @07:31AM
Head-up-the-ass boot-licking scumsucking Florida-man Key Lime lizard. Problem with being stupid, you don't know you are. Ari is just letting a little bit of light into your private world. (In Greek, the term is
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot [wikipedia.org] )
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 21 2020, @01:26PM (1 child)
Nope, he's an idiot. My god is he stupid. I'm sorry that you're not bright enough to notice his inability to understand even basic English.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 22 2020, @02:27AM
His first language is Samian Greek, so you have to give him a break as a non-native speaker. And I suspect he is competent in more languages than you know exist, if you are the typical ignorant American.