Social cognition consists of multiple interpersonal abilities such as emotional facial recognition, the "theory of mind", and empathy. Neural bases of these abilities have been investigated extensively, and key brain structures such as the amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, insula, and superior temporal sulcus, are called the "social brain" by some researchers. Social cognition has been demonstrated to be an essential determinant of daily functioning in schizophrenia. Progress in social neuroscience, together with advanced neuroimaging technology, promotes our understanding of schizophrenia from the viewpoint of social cognition and the social brain.