Behavioral responses to social norm violation, such as those described in non-human primates by Brosnan, require, at the very least, attention to social cues, sensitivity to change (e.g., disappointment), and behavioral inhibition. Neurobiological evidence suggests that these various processes are instantiated in neural circuits localized to the parietal cortex, the striatum, and prefrontal cortex, respectively. Here we provide a brief overview of these neural mechanisms, which are likely to be involved in the perception of, and reaction to, social inequity.
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Watson, K., Platt, M.L. Fairness and the Neurobiology of Social Cognition: Commentary on “Nonhuman species’ reactions to inequity and their implications for fairness” by Sarah Brosnan. Soc Just Res 19, 186–193 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-006-0008-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-006-0008-6