Editing Social cognition (section)

==Centrality==

Social cognition refers to the cognitive processes involved in perceiving, interpreting, and responding to social information. It plays a central role in human behavior and is critical for navigating social interactions and relationships. There are several examples that demonstrate the centrality of social cognition in human experience.

===Perceiving faces everywhere===

Humans are highly attuned to detecting and recognizing faces, even in inanimate objects. This phenomenon, known as pareidolia, is thought to be an evolutionary adaptation that helps humans quickly identify potential threats and allies in their environment. Research has shown that the fusiform gyrus, a region of the brain involved in face processing, is particularly sensitive to perceiving faces in non-face objects.<ref>Boutsen, L., Humphreys, G. W., Praamstra, P., & Warbrick, T. (2006). "Comparing neural correlates of configural processing in faces and objects: An ERP study of the Thatcher illusion." ''Neuroimage,'' 32(1), 352-367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.03.023</ref>

===Point-light walkers===

Point-light walkers are animations of people walking that are created by attaching small lights to their joints and recording their movements in a dark room. Despite lacking details such as clothing or facial features, humans are able to accurately perceive the gender, emotion, and identity of the walker from these animations.<ref>Dunbar, R. I. M. (2008). "The social brain hypothesis." ''Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews,'' 6(5), 178-190. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1520-6505(1998)6:5</ref> This ability highlights the importance of social cognition in recognizing and interpreting human movement and behavior.

===Data on social-brain evolution===

Research has shown that the evolution of the human brain is closely tied to the development of social cognition. The prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain involved in higher-level cognitive processes such as decision-making and social behavior, has undergone significant expansion in humans compared to other primates.<ref>Eisenberger, N. I.; Lieberman, M. D. (2004). "Why rejection hurts: a common neural alarm system for physical and social pain." ''Trends in cognitive sciences,'' 8(7), 294-300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2004.05.010</ref> This expansion is thought to reflect the increased importance of social cognition in human evolution.

===Pain of social exclusion===

[[Social exclusion]] is a powerful [[social stress]]or that can elicit emotional and physiological responses similar to physical pain.<ref>Johansson, G. (1973). "Visual perception of biological motion and a model for its analysis." ''Perception & Psychophysics,'' 14(2), 201-211.</ref> This response highlights the importance of social connections and acceptance for human well-being and underscores the centrality of social cognition in regulating social behavior.