Reassessing the Neural Correlates of Social Exclusion: A Replication Study of the Cyberball Paradigm Using Arterial Spin Labeling

These findings relativize a simple and specific interpretation of these areas as the neural substrates of social exclusion and social pain, as in previous studies. In a broader experimental context, similar activations have been reported by neuroimaging studies when semantic disambiguation and evaluation of action goals are required, an interpretation that may also apply to the effects elicited by this paradigm.