Safety feelings and anticipatory control: An fMRI study on safety and risk perception

Car driving as goal-directed behavior is based on anticipations. In everyday driving, most of the time a car is operated in a rather implicit anticipatory mode with little disparity between an anticipated and actual driving result. A disruption of this driving mode goes along with heightened risk perception and changes in somatic states. In an fMRI study, safety and risk perception was investigated in male car drivers with regard to anticipatory control. Neural correlates revealed that perceived safety is accompanied by a higher involvement of primary visual areas, motor areas, the left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), right hippocampus, right temporo-parietal junction, and in particular - as supported by contrasts with a further condition - of the left parahippocampal gyrus and bilateral precentral gyrus. This indicates stronger retrieval of memory and stored movement programs for impressions of safety, corresponding to an anticipatory mode of driving. Additionally, activation levels in the left ACC were marginally negatively correlated with perceived situational control in risky driving situations. These results highlight the role of anticipatory control in perceived safety on an implicit level relevant for everyday driving.