Despite extensive studies on how social networks affect behavior at the population level, little is known about how the human brain makes decisions in networked environments. This study shows that the brain flexibly weighs information received from a social contact according to how well-connected that contact is on the network responsible for information transmission.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Jackson, M. O. Social and Economic Networks (Princeton Univ. Press, 2010). An overview of basic concepts and tools for analyzing social and economic networks, including behavioral models for learning in networked environments.
Niv, Y. Learning task-state representations. Nat. Neurosci. 22, 1544–1553 (2019). This paper discusses efficient learning in high-dimensional environments and progress under the reinforcement learning framework.
Olsson, A. & Knapska, E. The neural and computational systems of social learning. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 21, 197–212 (2020). A review that summarizes research on the neural and computational systems of social learning.
DeGroot, M. H. Reaching a consensus. J. Am. Stat. Assoc. 69, 118–121 (1974). A theory paper that presented the DeGroot learning model, a now-canonical heuristic rule for social information integration.
Heilbronner, S. R. & Hayden, B. Y. Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex: a bottom-up view. Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 39, 149–170 (2016). A review article that discusses the functions of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex in decision making and beyond.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
This is a summary of: Jiang, Y., Mi, Q. & Zhu, L. Neurocomputational mechanism of real-time distributed learning on social networks. Nat. Neurosci. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-023-01258-y (2023).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
The human brain biases integration of information passed through social networks. Nat Neurosci 26, 375–376 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-023-01269-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-023-01269-9