Beyond social withdrawal: New perspectives on the effects of inflammation on social behavior
Decades of research in animals and humans show that inflammation is an important regulator of social behavior. While much research in this area has concluded that inflammation causes a withdrawal from social interaction, closer examination of the literature reveals that the effects of inflammation o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354621001058 |
| _version_ | 1818695547674951680 |
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| author | Keely A. Muscatell Tristen K. Inagaki |
| author_facet | Keely A. Muscatell Tristen K. Inagaki |
| author_sort | Keely A. Muscatell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Decades of research in animals and humans show that inflammation is an important regulator of social behavior. While much research in this area has concluded that inflammation causes a withdrawal from social interaction, closer examination of the literature reveals that the effects of inflammation on social behavior are much more nuanced. Indeed, while many studies do show that increases in inflammation lead to social withdrawal, other studies show the exact opposite, finding that inflammation leads to an increase in social approach behavior. Critically, whether an organism withdraws or approaches when inflamed may depend on the whether the target of the behavior is a close other or a stranger. In the present paper, we review both animal research and our initial research in humans that has utilized experimental manipulations of inflammation and examined their effects on social approach behavior. We argue, based on complementary theoretical perspectives and supporting evidence from the literature, that there are three critical next steps for translational work examining the effects of inflammation on social behavior: (1) We need to study actual social behavior, as expressed toward both close others and strangers; (2) We should examine not just the social behavior of the inflamed individual, but also the behavior of others interacting with an inflamed individual; and (3) We must consider the relative increases in inflammation (i.e., higher vs. lower) as a contributor to social withdrawal vs. approach. Ultimately, we urge the field to move beyond a singular focus on inflammation and social withdrawal so that we can develop a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of inflammation on a variety of social behaviors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T13:47:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8df27cfd70334d5e8afe6c2020082b57 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-3546 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T13:47:13Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-8df27cfd70334d5e8afe6c2020082b572022-12-21T21:46:07ZengElsevierBrain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health2666-35462021-10-0116100302Beyond social withdrawal: New perspectives on the effects of inflammation on social behaviorKeely A. Muscatell0Tristen K. Inagaki1Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA; Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA; Corresponding author. UNC Dept. of Psychology & Neuroscience, 235 E. Cameron Ave. CB 3270, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3270, USA.Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, USADecades of research in animals and humans show that inflammation is an important regulator of social behavior. While much research in this area has concluded that inflammation causes a withdrawal from social interaction, closer examination of the literature reveals that the effects of inflammation on social behavior are much more nuanced. Indeed, while many studies do show that increases in inflammation lead to social withdrawal, other studies show the exact opposite, finding that inflammation leads to an increase in social approach behavior. Critically, whether an organism withdraws or approaches when inflamed may depend on the whether the target of the behavior is a close other or a stranger. In the present paper, we review both animal research and our initial research in humans that has utilized experimental manipulations of inflammation and examined their effects on social approach behavior. We argue, based on complementary theoretical perspectives and supporting evidence from the literature, that there are three critical next steps for translational work examining the effects of inflammation on social behavior: (1) We need to study actual social behavior, as expressed toward both close others and strangers; (2) We should examine not just the social behavior of the inflamed individual, but also the behavior of others interacting with an inflamed individual; and (3) We must consider the relative increases in inflammation (i.e., higher vs. lower) as a contributor to social withdrawal vs. approach. Ultimately, we urge the field to move beyond a singular focus on inflammation and social withdrawal so that we can develop a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of inflammation on a variety of social behaviors.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354621001058InflammationSocial behaviorSocial withdrawalSocial approachSocial interactionsCytokines |
| spellingShingle | Keely A. Muscatell Tristen K. Inagaki Beyond social withdrawal: New perspectives on the effects of inflammation on social behavior Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health Inflammation Social behavior Social withdrawal Social approach Social interactions Cytokines |
| title | Beyond social withdrawal: New perspectives on the effects of inflammation on social behavior |
| title_full | Beyond social withdrawal: New perspectives on the effects of inflammation on social behavior |
| title_fullStr | Beyond social withdrawal: New perspectives on the effects of inflammation on social behavior |
| title_full_unstemmed | Beyond social withdrawal: New perspectives on the effects of inflammation on social behavior |
| title_short | Beyond social withdrawal: New perspectives on the effects of inflammation on social behavior |
| title_sort | beyond social withdrawal new perspectives on the effects of inflammation on social behavior |
| topic | Inflammation Social behavior Social withdrawal Social approach Social interactions Cytokines |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354621001058 |
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