Neural signatures of social conformity: A coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of functional brain imaging studies

- Opinions of others result in altered neural correlates of valuation.
- Deviations from group norms consistently engage dorsal pMFC and AI.
- Agreement with normative opinions consistently activates VS.
- Deviation-related activation of dorsal pMFC predicts conforming behaviors.
- Disagreement- and unfairness-related contrasts converged in pMFC and AI.

People often align their behaviors with group opinions, known as social conformity. Many neuroscience studies have explored the neuropsychological mechanisms underlying social conformity. Here we employed a coordinate-based meta-analysis on neuroimaging studies of social conformity with the purpose to reveal the convergence of the underlying neural architecture. We identified a convergence of reported activation foci in regions associated with normative decision-making, including ventral striatum (VS), dorsal posterior medial frontal cortex (dorsal pMFC), and anterior insula (AI). Specifically, consistent deactivation of VS and activation of dorsal pMFC and AI are identified when people's responses deviate from group opinions. In addition, the deviation-related responses in dorsal pMFC predict people's conforming behavioral adjustments. These are consistent with current models that disagreement with others might evoke “error” signals, cognitive imbalance, and/or aversive feelings, which are plausibly detected in these brain regions as control signals to facilitate subsequent conforming behaviors. Finally, group opinions result in altered neural correlates of valuation, manifested as stronger responses of VS to stimuli endorsed than disliked by others.