Social class affects Mu-suppression during action observation

Soc Neurosci. 2016;11(4):449-54. doi: 10.1080/17470919.2015.1105865. Epub 2015 Nov 2.

Abstract

Socioeconomic status (SES) has been linked to differences in the degree to which people are attuned to others. Those who are lower in SES also tend to be more interpersonally attuned. However, to date, this work has not been demonstrated using neural measures. In the present electroencephalogram study, we found evidence that lower SES was linked to stronger Mu-suppression during action observation. This finding adds to the growing literature on factors that affect Mu-suppression and suggests that the mirror neuron system may be influenced by one's social class.

Keywords: EEG; Mu-suppression; Socioeconomic status.

MeSH terms

  • Brain / physiology*
  • Brain Waves / physiology*
  • Electroencephalography
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neural Inhibition / physiology*
  • Observation*
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Social Class*