What are the neural correlates self-deception?

Self-deception, a long-debated psychological phenomenon, involves holding contradictory beliefs to maintain a favorable self-perception, often at the expense of truth. Despite its paradoxical nature, self-deception is believed to play a crucial role in fostering psychological resilience and shaping social behavior. This systematic review synthesizes findings from neuroimaging and brain stimulation studies, shedding light on the neural processes underlying self-deception and self-enhancement bias. Fourteen studies published between 2005 and 2025 were analyzed. Studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) consistently highlight the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as playing a central role across different contexts. Event-related potential (ERP) studies further suggest that self-deception emerges during early and late stages of cognitive processing, with components such as N400, P2, and P300 reflecting attentional and evaluative processes. Cultural differences in self-enhancement bias, social pressure, and social comparison are also identified as significant influencing factors. Moreover, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies focusing on the mPFC demonstrate its pivotal role in regulating deceptive self-monitoring behaviors such as overclaiming. Together, these findings support a framework suggesting that self-deception is rooted in brain systems involved in attention, executive function, and self-relevant processing.