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Social cognition

Social cognition is the study of how people process social information, especially its encoding, storage, retrieval, and application to social situations. There has been much recent interest in the links between social cognition and brain function, particularly as neuropsychological studies have shown that brain injury (particularly to the frontal lobes) can adversely affect social judgements and interaction. People diagnosed with certain mental illnesses are also known to show differences in how they process social information. There is now an expanding research field examining how such conditions may bias cognitive processes involved in social interaction, or conversely, how such biases may lead to the symptoms associated with the condition.

It is also becoming clear that some aspects of psychological processes that promote social behaviour (such as face recognition) may be innate. Studies have shown that newborn babies, younger than one hour old can selectively recognize and respond to faces, while people with some developmental disorders such as autism or Williams syndrome may show differences in social interaction and social communication when compared to their unaffected peers.

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Mind & Brain News

October 29, 2025

New research reveals that intelligence plays a key role in how well people process speech in noisy environments. The study compared neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals and found that cognitive ability predicted performance across all groups. ...
Generalized anxiety disorder affects millions, often trapping sufferers in cycles of fear and isolation that conventional medications barely relieve. At UCSF, neuroscientist Jennifer Mitchell is testing a pharmaceutical form of LSD called MM120, ...
GLP-1 drugs, originally developed for diabetes and obesity, may also curb addictive behaviors by acting on reward circuits in the brain. Early trials show reductions in alcohol intake, opioid seeking, and nicotine use. Though more research is ...
A new study shows that eating more fruits and vegetables during the day can significantly improve sleep that same night. Researchers found a clear link between diet quality and sleep depth, with participants who met the CDC’s daily produce ...
Researchers found that neurons can use fat, not just sugar, to power the brain. When a protein called DDHD2 fails, this process breaks down and leads to serious brain problems. Scientists were able to restore damaged cells by feeding them fatty ...
Inside your body, an intricate communication network constantly monitors breathing, heart rate, digestion, and immune function — a hidden “sixth sense” called interoception. Now, Nobel laureate ...
A massive genetic study found that naturally lower cholesterol is linked to a dramatically reduced risk of dementia. The research simulated the effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs and showed up to an 80% lower risk for certain genetic profiles. ...
Researchers have finally seen and measured the tiny alpha-synuclein oligomers that may ignite Parkinson’s disease. With the ultra-sensitive ASA-PD imaging method, they captured these clusters in brain tissue, finding larger and more numerous ...
Cedars-Sinai researchers created “young” immune cells from human stem cells that reversed cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice. The treated animals showed better memory and healthier brain structures. The cells seemed to protect ...
Scientists have uncovered a toxic alliance between Aβ and fibrinogen that may explain how Alzheimer’s disease begins. The two proteins together create stubborn clots that damage blood vessels and spark inflammation in the brain. These effects ...
New research reveals that exercise counteracts the mood-damaging effects of a Western-style diet through specific gut and hormonal mechanisms. Running restored metabolites tied to mental well-being and balanced key hormones like insulin and leptin. ...
Mizzou scientists are exploring how a ketogenic diet may protect the brain and prevent Alzheimer’s in people genetically predisposed to it. Their study found that female mice with the APOE4 gene benefited most, showing improved gut and brain ...

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