Differential Susceptibility to Context

Researchers at Stonybrook University in New York used brain imaging to study people's reactions to positive and negative images. They also measured childhood environment with a battery of en different scales that we used to develop a childhood environment index. In response to positive things, like people smiling and nice cars, they show more activity in this key reward centre of the ventral segmental area. And in response to negative images, they showed more activation in the amidula and the hippocampus, which are important for emotion and memory. The results were consistent with differential susceptibility theory and biological sensitivity to context.