ABSTRACT
Personality and psychosocial changes are considered hallmarks of frontal lobe damage. Insensitivity, impulsivity, disinhibited, egocentric and socially inappropriate behavior, and poor frustration tolerance are common. Conversely, there may be a generalized lack of responsivity and self-initiation. These disturbances to social functioning are commonly attributed to damage the orbitomedial aspects of the frontal lobes. Traditionally, they have been conceptualized as reflecting a loss of behavioral regulation resulting in responses that are inappropriate for the context in which they occur. More recently it has been recognized that deficits in social information processing will also impact upon the ability to respond normally in social situations. In this chapter, we will examine different facets of social information processing and disorders that reflect disruption to these processes.
