The Social Brain App

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, The Social Brain App is a data collection platform for large-scale neuroscience experiments. The system presents users with a series of gamified scenarios designed to simulate social decision-making and navigation. Through role-playing modules, the interface captures behavioral data on how individuals interact with virtual characters and navigate complex social hierarchies. Participation directly contributes anonymized data to a massive online study investigating the neurobiology of social behavior.

Evidence & Research Context

• Associated neuroimaging research demonstrates that the human hippocampus computes a geometric map of social relationships, or a "social space," framed by perceived power and affiliation.
• In a foundational fMRI study, stronger covariance between hippocampal activity and navigation within this conceptual "social space" correlated with higher self-reported social skills.
• The app's design is grounded in a theoretical framework that posits the hippocampus supports multidimensional cognitive maps for organizing experience, extending beyond physical navigation to abstract social contexts.
• The platform is explicitly described in associated research as a crowd-sourcing tool developed to gather social decision-making data for large-scale neuroscience investigations.

Intended Use & Scope

This app is intended for the general public to use as citizen scientists and for researchers to utilize for data collection. Its primary utility is as an instrument for scientific investigation into social cognition. The platform is not a diagnostic tool, a therapeutic intervention, or a social skills training program and provides no individualized feedback.