自尊是個體對自己總體的情感性評價。自尊有助于促進個體的心理健康,幫助個體應對威脅,具有重要的適應價值。近年來隨著社會認知神經科學的興起,關于自尊的認知神經機制的研究日益增多,主要涉及三個方面:1)自尊與大腦的結構(如海馬體積、前扣帶回等區域的灰質體積)和功能(靜息態下的默認網絡活動以及腦區之間的功能聯結性)存在一定的關聯;2)自尊調節大腦對威脅的反應,與高自尊個體相比,低自尊個體面對威脅時產生更強的防御性反應,自尊通過影響個體面對威脅時的大腦活動幫助個體更好地應對威脅;3)自我評價過程涉及大腦前額葉、眶額葉、扣帶回等多個腦區,自尊調節個體在自我評價過程中的大腦活動。總之,自尊作為個體重要的人格特質,與大腦的結構、功能以及活動狀態等都具有一定的關系;這些發現在一定程度上揭示了自尊的神經機制,加深了對自尊及其功能的理解。

Accumulating research has approached self-esteem from the perspective of social neuroscience. A review of relevant research indicates that: 1) self-esteem is related to brain physiologically with high self-esteem associating with larger hippocampus volume and regional gray matter volume of anterior cingulate cortex; 2) self-esteem is also related to the resting state of default mode network and functional connectivity among some specific brain areas; 3) self-esteem modulates brain activities to threats such that individuals with low self-esteem exhibit stronger neural responses to self-threatening stimuli; 4) self-esteem modulates brain activities during self-evaluation process. Overall, these findings shed light on the neural basis of self-esteem as well as its adaptive functions.