Brain Responses to Peer Feedback in Social Media Are Modulated by Valence in Late Adolescence

| openaire: EC/H2020/870612/EU//ySKILLS Funding Information: MM, PW, SL, KA, and BG designed the paradigm. MM, AY, JL, and PW collected the data. MM, PW, and JL analyzed the data. PW, MM, and KA wrote the initial draft of the manuscript. KL, KA, and KS-A applied for funding for the project. All authors edited the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Wikman, Moisala, Ylinen, Lindblom, Leikas, Salmela-Aro, Lonka, Güroğlu and Alho.Previous studies have examined the neural correlates of receiving negative feedback from peers during virtual social interaction in young people. However, there is a lack of studies applying platforms adolescents use in daily life. In the present study, 92 late-adolescent participants performed a task that involved receiving positive and negative feedback to their opinions from peers in a Facebook-like platform, while brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Peer feedback was shown to activate clusters in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), superior temporal gyrus and sulcus (STG/STS), and occipital cortex (OC). Negative feedback was related to greater activity in the VLPFC, MPFC, and anterior insula than positive feedback, replicating previous findings on peer feedback and social rejection. Real-life habits of social media use did not correlate with brain responses to negative feedback.Peer reviewe