Brain Function and Decision-Making

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study is about how brain function and structure is different between two universities. Participant in this project will contribute to a better understanding of how universities affect the brain.

Detailed Description
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Some study details are purposely omitted at this time to preserve scientific integrity. Now that the study is completed, full details are included below. The true purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the two computer tasks that participants completed. Specifically, researchers wanted to know if they would be able to accurately measure motivated empathy. To better understand this, participants were asked to rate images of people expressing pain and were told that these were either students from their university or students from a different university. This was not the case. The faces shown were random images produced for a research study. Researchers also wanted to know if they could accurately measure moral decision making and how those judgments relate to aggression. To examine this, participants were asked whether various scenarios were immoral and then asked about aggressive tendencies.

Official Title
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Brain Function and Decision-Making

Conditions
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Behavior, Social, Psychology, Social, Social Interaction, Interpersonal Relations

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Psychological task


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Undergraduate students aged 18 - 35 years of age No current or regular use of prescribed or illicit psychoactive drugs Free of major health problems (e.g., diabetes, HIV, Parkinson's disease) Free of a neurological or psychiatric disorders No current drug abuse (e.g., recreational drug use, average alcohol intake in excess of 4 drinks per day). Right hand dominant Free of claustrophobia Free of pregnancy or suspected pregnancy Absent MRI risk factors (e.g., implanted medical device, body mass index > 35, braces) Free of medical conditions that render individuals with overly sensitive hearing No colorblindness Exclusion Criteria: • Not meeting the inclusion criteria listed above.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 35 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Other: Low psychopathy distribution<br>Participants who score at the low end of the psychopathy distribution | Behavioral: Psychological task<br>* Participants will complete a psychological task that evokes antisocially- and prosocially-motivated empathic responding<br>|
| Other: High psychopathy distribution<br>Participants who score at the high end of the psychopathy distribution | Behavioral: Psychological task<br>* Participants will complete a psychological task that evokes antisocially- and prosocially-motivated empathic responding<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Prefrontal Cortex Brain Activity Assessed by fMRI | Blood-Oxygen-Level-Dependent signal change in the cognitive empathy brain network will be assessed using functional MRI | Baseline to 3 hours | 
| Change in Accuracy of Empathic Pain Judgments | Difference in pain judgment scores rated from 1 (low) to 4 (high) between antisocial vs prosocial empathy trials | Baseline to 3 hours |