Information on the thesis

The study of the neurophysiological and psychophysiological features in
people with different types of social behavior is an actual problem. Its solution allows
us to understand the physiological regularities of the cerebral cortex’s functioning as
the result of systematic influences of various external and internal behavioral factors.
Comprehensive studies of psychophysiological and neurophysiological indicators of
individuals with different sociotype are very important in this aspect.
The aim of the work was to determine the features of the brain cortex
functional activity in persons with different sociotype in conditions of their social
behavior modeling. To study the features of neurophysiological and
psychophysiological processes in people with different types of social behavior, the
following methods and techniques were used: the method of electroencephalography
(registration of spectral power data); evoked synchronization / desynchronization
(ERD / ERS) method (analysis of EEG spectral power indicators); low resolution
tomography (LORETA) (detection of spatial brain activity for a selfish and altruistic
stimulus); psychological testing (identification of prevailing selfish or altruistic
sociotype); measuring the reaction time (comparing the reaction rate to the stimulus).
The following parameters were analyzed in the experiments: a visual analysis
of the EEG (frequency, amplitude of the main rhythms at the state of rest with closed
eyes); evaluation of the latent period from the moment the stimulus appears to the
choosing an action; analysis of evoked synchronization / desynchronization
parameters. We used two test situations in the experiment – the “Stag Hunt Game”
and “Mini-basketball”. The study found out that after a complex psychological
testing, 46 people demonstrated egocentric behavioral features, while 54 individuals
demonstrated altruistic behavioral features.
The choices number and reaction time analysis during both test situations
(“Stag Hunt Game” and the game “Mini-basketball”) showed that the stimulus choice
characteristics depended on the social orientation of the subjects: altruistic orientation
individuals chose more often an altruistic stimulus; individuals with egocentric
orientation chose more often selfish stimulus. However, the reaction time to the
stimulus was the opposite of the sociotype of the experiment’s members.
After the ERD / ERS analysis of the various groups during the first and the
second test situations, we found out that the features of neurophysiological processes
in the subjects of different socio-type groups were observed predominantly in the
EEG alpha and beta range. At the same time, synchronization was better expressed in
individuals with a selfish sociotype and desynchronization was better expressed in
individuals with altruistic sociotype.
The greatest activity of brain structures in altruistically directed individuals
was observed in the frontal areas of the brain cortex, and the greatest activity of brain
structures in egocentric directed individuals was observed in insula lobes. It means
that the areas of prefrontal cortex are more actively involved in the realization of
altruistic social behavior, and the structures of the limbic system are more actively
involved in the realization of selfish social behavior.
The neurodynamics of the EEG activity of the brain cortex and the results of
spatial activity sources localization confirms the viewpoint of Sarlo M. et al. (2014)
that social relations in humans are guided by the interaction of two competing brain
data processing systems represented by different neural networks: the first system is
fast, automatic, emotional; it concentrates, mainly in the medial prefrontal cortex.
The second system is slow, controlled and cognitive; it is concentrated in the
dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the lower parietal areas. In addition, according to
our research, it can be stated that the precuneus and insula particle belongs to the
structures of the first behavioral system that is activated in egocentric directed
individuals.
Consequently, as a result of complex comparative EEG and
psychophysiological studies, it was found out that decision making is determined by
the work of the brain relatively independent neural systems defined by evolutionary
path. In this case, the interaction of “cognitive” and “emotional” nerve mechanisms of
decision-making determines the degree of the human behavior rationality.
Key words: altruism, egocentric, synchronization, desynchronization, spectral
power, reaction time.