Brain Activation Differs in Children and Adults During Social Interactions: Study

A functional magnetic imaging study found brain differences between adults and children that potentially explain developmental differences in social interaction understanding. The study showed that adults rely more on observable, body-based information, while children engage more in effortful reasoning about what others are thinking and feeling during an interaction. The study involved scanning the brains of children (6–12 years old) and adults (18+) while they viewed brief videos of two human figures interacting. Activation responses in the superior temporal sulcus (STS) were measured and combined with measures of connectivity to other parts of the brain.