International Journal of Psychophysiology 94 (2014) 120261

Effect of 5HT2A receptor gene polymorphism on lateral

prefrontal cortex activation during empathy
Toshiyuki Himichia,b, Masayuki Kanekoc, Jun Nomurad,
Yasunobu Okumae, Yasuyuki Nomuraf, Michio Nomuraa
a
Kyoto University, Japan
b
Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences, Japan
c
Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Japan
d
Hiroshima University, Japan
e
Chiba Institute of Science, Japan
f
Yokohama College of Pharmacy, Japan
Pharmacological manipulation of the neurotransmitter serotonin
affects the regulation of motor response and social behavior
(Crockett et al., 2010; Rubia et al., 2005). Serotonin 2A (5HT2A)
receptor gene polymorphism also inuences the regulation of motor
response (Nomura et al., 2006). Since such motor responses are
mediate\d by the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC), 5HT2A receptor
gene polymorphism likely inuences LPFC function (Nomura and
Nomura, 2006). Empathy, which is the important ability of
understanding others' mental state and altruistic behavior, are
modulated by the LPFC (Decety and Svetlova, 2012). Our previous
study showed that modulation of empathy by the left LPFC facilitated
later altruistic behavior (Himichi and Nomura, under review).
However, individual differences due to genetic factors underlying
this process remain unclear. Because 5HT2A receptor gene polymorphism inuences LPFC function (Nomura and Nomura, 2006), 5HT2A
receptor gene polymorphism may inuence LPFC activation during
empathy and later altruistic behavior. To investigate this hypothesis,
we added genotyping data to our previous data (Himichi and
Nomura, under review) and analyzed it. Twenty-eight healthy
participants were divided into two groups according to 5HT2A
receptor gene polymorphism (rs6311; G carriers [GG and AG
carriers] and AA carriers). Participants empathized with a person
playing a card game (target person), and their emotional state was
manipulated according to the following conditions: they felt sadness
when the target person lost the game (lose condition) and neutral
emotional state when the target person drew the game (draw
condition). During this task, we measured PFC activation using
functional near-infrared spectroscopy. After this task, participants
decided how much money the target person should receive. In left
LPFC activation, ANOVA revealed an interaction effect between
condition and genotype (F(1, 26) = 3.33, p = .080, p2 = .11). Left
LPFC activation in the lose condition was lower in AA carriers than in
G carriers (F(1, 26) = 8.07, p = .009, p2 = .24). Additionally, in AA
carriers only, left LPFC activation in the lose condition was positively
correlated with subjective sadness evaluation (AA carriers: r = .57,
p = .055; G carriers: r = .09, p = .732) and amount of money given
(AA carriers: r = .63, p = .028; G carriers: r = .42, p = .109). These
results suggest that 5HT2A receptor gene polymorphism may
inuence the modulation of empathy via the LPFC and later altruistic
behavior.
doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.08.961

Product harm crises: The contingent role of information

specicity on word-of-mouth effectiveness
Julian Ming-Sung Chenga, Melissa Mei-Ling Hsua,b
National Central University, Taiwan
b
Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan

Product harm crises incidents are ubiquitous in the marketplace.

These incidents often result in product recalls and will have a severe

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effect on a rm's image and subsequent sales. Word-of-mouth is a

frequently applied and useful communication strategy in inuencing
consumer mindsets. The current research therefore focuses on
investigating the use of word-of-mouth in dealing with productharm crises. In particular, this research examines the impact of
information specicity on the effectiveness of word-of-mouth.
Information specicity refers to specic messages versus tensile
messages, while the effectiveness of word-of-mouth is communicated in terms of product evaluation and purchase intention. Also, a
number of moderating variables are introduced and their interactions with information specicity are investigated, thus exploring the
contingent impacts of information specicity on the current studied
subject. Since the current investigation is to study the judgment of
consumer preference, information types in specic or tensile claims
in particular, this research intends to conduct a functional MagneticResonance-Imaging (fMRI) experiment to directly measure consumers' brain activation for product harm crises instances. Recent
development of neuroimaging, such as fMRI, permits accurate
measurement and localization of brain activation. The use of fMRI
in collecting data enhances the current research quality by providing
direct evidence of phenomena occurring within individuals' minds,
which otherwise are difcult to capture. The introduction of fMRI in
studying the impact of word-of-mouth information specicity in the
context of product harm crisis lls the literature gap and extends our
knowledge in the current subject matter. The research ndings
provide immediate guidance to practitioners and marketers with
direct evidences to the contingent role of information specicity in
consumers' mindsets.
doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.08.962

Resting-state EEG power predicts conict-related brain activity in

internally guided but not in externally guided decision-making
Takashi Nakaoa, Yu Baib, Hitomi Nashiwaa, Georg Northoffc
Hiroshima University, Japan
b
Nagoya University, Japan
c
University of Ottawa, Canada
a

Most experimental studies of decision-making have specically

examined situations in which a single correct answer exists (externally
guided decision-making). Along with such externally guided decisionmaking, there are instances of decision-making in which no correct
answer based on external circumstances is available for the subject
(internally guided decision-making, e.g. preference judgment). We
compared these two different types of decision-making in terms of
conict-monitoring and their relation with resting-state brain activity.
Current electroencephalography (EEG) data demonstrated that conict-related N2 amplitudes (i.e., difference between large-conict and
small-conict conditions) in externally guided decision-making were
modulated by the type of external stimulus (i.e., large-conict stimulus
pair or small-conict stimulus pair) but were not found to be correlated
with resting-state brain activity (i.e. resting-state EEG power). In
contrast, conict-related N2 amplitudes in internally guided decisionmaking were found to be correlated with resting-state brain activity,
but were not found to be modulated by the type of stimulus itself: the
degree to which the type of external stimulus modulates the conict
during stimulus encoding varies according to individual differences in
intrinsic brain activity. Considering those results comprehensively, we
demonstrate for the rst time resting-state and stimulus-related
differences between externally and internally guided decision-making.
doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.08.963