Group problem solving is a prototypical complex collective intellectual activity. Psychological research provides compelling evidence that problem solving in groups is both qualitatively and quantitatively different from doing so alone. However, the question of whether individual and collective problem solving involve the same neural substrate has not yet been addressed, mainly due to methodological limitations. In the current study, functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed to compare brain activation when participants solved Raven-like matrix problems in a small group and individually. In the group condition, the participant in the scanner was able to discuss the problem with other team members using a special communication device. In the individual condition, the participant was required to think aloud while solving the problem in the silent presence of the other team members. Greater activation was found in several brain regions during group problem solving, including the medial prefrontal cortex; lateral parietal, cingulate, precuneus and retrosplenial cortices; frontal and temporal poles. These areas have been identified as potential components of the so-called “social brain” on the basis of research using offline judgments of material related to socializing. Therefore, this study demonstrated the actual involvement of these regions in real-time social interactions, such as group problem solving. However, further connectivity analysis revealed that the social brain components are co-activated, but do not increase their coupling during cooperation as would be suggested for a holistic network. We suggest that the social mode of the brain may be described instead as a re-configuration of connectivity between basic networks, and we found decreased connectivity between the language and salience networks in the group compared to the individual condition. A control experiment showed that the findings from the main experiment cannot be entirely accounted for by discourse comprehension. Thus, the study demonstrates affordances provided by the presented new technique for neuroimaging the “group mind,” implementing the single-brain version of the second-person neuroscience approach.

中文翻译：

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fMRI 揭示的群体与个体问题解决的神经相关性

集体问题解决是一种典型的复杂集体智力活动。心理学研究提供了令人信服的证据，表明集体解决问题在质量和数量上都与单独解决问题不同。然而，个人和集体问题解决是否涉及相同的神经基础的问题尚未得到解决，主要是由于方法上的限制。在当前的研究中，当参与者在小组和个人中解决类似 Raven 的矩阵问题时，进行了功能性磁共振成像以比较大脑的激活情况。在小组条件下，扫描仪的参与者能够使用特殊的通信设备与其他团队成员讨论问题。在个人条件下，参与者被要求在其他团队成员的沉默在场的情况下，在解决问题的同时大声思考。在小组解决问题的过程中，大脑的几个区域发现了更大的激活，包括内侧前额叶皮层；外侧顶叶、扣带回、楔前叶和脾后皮质；额极和颞极。根据对社交相关材料的离线判断进行研究，这些区域已被确定为所谓的“社交大脑”的潜在组成部分。因此，本研究证明了这些区域在实时社交互动中的实际参与，例如小组问题解决。然而，进一步的连接分析表明，社交大脑组件是共同激活的，但在合作过程中不会像整体网络所建议的那样增加它们的耦合。我们建议大脑的社交模式可以被描述为基本网络之间连通性的重新配置，我们发现与个体条件相比，群体中语言和显着性网络之间的连通性降低。对照实验表明，主要实验的结果不能完全由话语理解来解释。因此，该研究展示了所提出的对“群体思维”进行神经成像的新技术所提供的可供性，实现了第二人称神经科学方法的单脑版本。对照实验表明，主要实验的结果不能完全由话语理解来解释。因此，该研究展示了所提出的对“群体思维”进行神经成像的新技术所提供的可供性，实现了第二人称神经科学方法的单脑版本。对照实验表明，主要实验的结果不能完全由话语理解来解释。因此，该研究展示了所提出的对“群体思维”进行神经成像的新技术所提供的可供性，实现了第二人称神经科学方法的单脑版本。