memory or episodic memory. A recent meta-analysis revealed a ventral-dorsal gradient for activation in the PFC (Denny, Kober, Wager, & Ochsner, 2012) where self-relevant processing was associated with activity in the medial, ventral and rostral PFC (ventral BA10 and BA11), whereas other-relevant processing activated the dorsal/medial area (dorsal BA10 and BA8/9) of the PFC. It is important to note that other studies found large overlaps of activation, particularly in BA10 located centrally between the ventral and dorsal areas, for self- and other-relevant processing (Araujo, Kaplan, & Damasio, 2013; Lee & Siegle, 2012; Spreng et al., 2013). Activation of the rPFC has also been associated with the processing of information that relates to close others such as family members or close friends (Benoit, Gilbert, Volle, & Burgess, 2010) as opposed to strangers (Krienen et al., 2010). On this basis, Krienen et al. (2010) suggested that the rPFC is part of an area related to the evaluation of social relations, such as identifying which persons are friendly/known, thus connecting activation of the rPFC with ToM. It is hypothesised that the rPFC an important role in the processing of information and understanding of mental states of others. A successful assessment and interpretation of emotional states includes a significant component of processes related to self and other (Amting, 2010). Afferent connections between medial rPFC and the amygdala support the sensitivity of the former emotional processing (Mitchell, 2011). For example, activation in the medial rPFC has been reported during modulation of positive and negative emotions (Mitchell, 2011), regulation of negative emotions (Kompus, Hugdahl, Ohman, Marklund, & Nyberg, 2009) and the experience of positive emotions (Dolcos et al., 2004; Viviani, Lo, Sim, & Beschoner, 2010). The purpose of the current is to explore activation of the rPFC in response to positive/negative valence and self/other processing during the viewing of visual works of art. Activation of the rPFC has been demonstrated during the processing of visual art (Vessel et
memory or episodic memory. A recent meta-analysis revealed a ventral-dorsal gradient for activation in the PFC (Denny, Kober, Wager, & Ochsner, 2012) where self-relevant processing was associated with activity in the medial, ventral and rostral PFC (ventral BA10 and BA11), whereas other-relevant processing activated the dorsal/medial area (dorsal BA10 and BA8/9) of the PFC. It is important to note that other studies found large overlaps of activation, particularly in BA10 located centrally between the ventral and dorsal areas, for self- and other-relevant processing (Araujo, Kaplan, & Damasio, 2013; Lee & Siegle, 2012; Spreng et al., 2013). Activation of the rPFC has also been associated with the processing of information that relates to close others such as family members or close friends (Benoit, Gilbert, Volle, & Burgess, 2010) as opposed to strangers (Krienen et al., 2010). On this basis, Krienen et al. (2010) suggested that the rPFC is part of an area related to the evaluation of social relations, such as identifying which persons are friendly/known, thus connecting activation of the rPFC with ToM. It is hypothesised that the rPFC an important role in the processing of information and understanding of mental states of others. A successful assessment and interpretation of emotional states includes a significant component of processes related to self and other (Amting, 2010). Afferent connections between medial rPFC and the amygdala support the sensitivity of the former emotional processing (Mitchell, 2011). For example, activation in the medial rPFC has been reported during modulation of positive and negative emotions (Mitchell, 2011), regulation of negative emotions (Kompus, Hugdahl, Ohman, Marklund, & Nyberg, 2009) and the experience of positive emotions (Dolcos et al., 2004; Viviani, Lo, Sim, & Beschoner, 2010). The purpose of the current is to explore activation of the rPFC in response to positive/negative valence and self/other processing during the viewing of visual works of art. Activation of the rPFC has been demonstrated during the processing of visual art (Vessel et