1. Early Adolescent Aggression and Sexual Behavior Relate to Later Neural Self-other Overlap. Casey Brown, Lane Beckes, James A. Coan, & Joseph P. Allen University of Virginia Introduction Theories of interpersonal relationships have suggested that overlaps in the representation of self and others may be important predictors of interpersonal phenomena (Aron &Aron, 1996). Within-subjects correlations of time series data can be used to create an individual differences measure of self-other overlap in the neural response to threat (Beckes & Coan, in press). Such individual difference measures of self-other overlap in the neural response to threat have been shown to correlate with measures of self-reported empathy, mother supportiveness, and neighborhood quality (Beckes & Coan, in press). Could interpersonal phenomena in early adolescence (age 13) predict later individual differences in self-other overlap (ages 23-26)? Results Participants 22 participants and their friends recruited from a community sample, Kliff/ VIDA lab (Allen et al. 2007) Race: 14 White, 8 African American Behavioral Measures Participants completed self-report measures (age 13) assessing whether or not they’d had sex the degree to which they’d participated in sex-like activities (making out) their attitudes toward aggression crimes they’d committed against other persons. Threat-of-shock fMRI paradigm (Coan et al., 2006) 5 blocks of shock trials counterbalanced across subjects 3 in which the participant themselves received a shock while they were either alone, holding a partner’s hand, or a stranger’s hand in the scanner 1 in which the participant held a stranger’s hand while the stranger was shocked 1 in which the participant held a friend’s hand while the friend was shocked Discussion Higher levels of sexual and aggressive behaviors at age 13 correspond with less self-other overlap—a putative neural index of empathy—with both friends and strangers in adulthood. THREAT SAFETYFIXATIONENDREST Left orbitofrontal cortex References Allen, J. P., Porter, M., McFarland, C., McElhaney, K. B., & Marsh, P. (2007). The relation of attachment security to adolescents’ paternal and peer relationships, depression, and externalizing behavior. Child Development, 78, 1222-1239. Aron, E. N., &Aron, A. (1996). Love and expansion of the self: The state of the model. Personal Relationships, 3, 45-58. Beckes, L. & Coan, J.A. (in press). Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. Beckes, L., Coan, J. A. & Allen, J. P. (Submitted). Coan et al. (2006). Lending a hand: social regulation of the neural response to threat. Psychol Sci, 17, 1032-9. Damasio AR (1994) Descartes' error. New York: Putnam. Methods Individual differences in neural self-other empathy: Results in Left orbitofrontal cortex as an exemplar Experience Correlations from other brain regions r = -.28r = -.48* r = -.46* r = -.28 r = -.36 r = -.66** Positive attitudes toward aggression and crimes committed against persons are both associated with decreased self-other overlap at ages 23-26. A putative neural measure of empathy—self-other overlap— measured in adulthood negatively correlates with measures obtained in early adolescence of self-reported experiences of making out, having sex, possessing positive attitudes toward aggression, and committing crimes against persons. Given the orbitofrontal cortex’s role in integrative representations of the self and its evaluative situation (Damasio, 1994), we believe our measure of self-other overlap may represent a neural marker of interpersonal emotional identification akin to empathy (Beckes, Coan, & Allen, Submitted). It is possible that individuals who lack the ability to identify and empathize with friends may seek out sexual activities as an alternative means of connecting with others in early adolescence. Adolescents possessing positive attitudes toward aggression may harbor such attitudes because they have a more difficult time understanding the impact that aggression has on others. ROIs were determined using a whole brain corrected cluster analysis, z > 2.3, an p <.05 on the threat-to-self activation maps. To operationalize self-other overlap at the individual level, we correlated BOLD response within ROIs between the threat-to-self threat trials and the threat-to-other threat trials to get a correlation between self and other BOLD response during threat over time. More experience with making out and sexual activity at age 13 is associated with decreased self-other overlap at ages 23-26.