Social anxiety modulates emotion processing for social threat words: Evidence from ERP

Jianqin Cao; Feng Si; Yanru Zhan; Guozhong Gu; Chunyan Guo

doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137498

Social anxiety modulates emotion processing for social threat words: Evidence from ERP

Neurosci Lett. 2023 Nov 1:816:137498. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137498. Epub 2023 Sep 29.

Authors

Jianqin Cao¹, Feng Si², Yanru Zhan³, Guozhong Gu⁴, Chunyan Guo⁵

Affiliations

¹ Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, No. 23 Baiduizijia, Fuwaidajie St, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China; Department of Nursing, Harbin Medical University, Xinyang Road No. 39, Daqing 163319, China.
² Key Laboratory of Human Factors and Ergonomics for State Market Regulation, China National Institute of Standardization, No. 4 Zhi Chun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, China.
³ Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, No. 23 Baiduizijia, Fuwaidajie St, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China.
⁴ Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Daqing Oilfield General Hospital, No. 9, Zhongkang Street, Saertu District, Daqing 163319, China.
⁵ Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, No. 23 Baiduizijia, Fuwaidajie St, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 37778685
DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137498

Abstract

The present study investigated whether the processing of social threat words was modulated by social anxiety used by recording electroencephalogram signals during the Stroop task. Behavioral results indicated that the High Social Anxiety (HSA) group exhibited slower RT than the Low Social Anxiety (LSA) group, and both groups had faster RTs when responding to threat words compared to neutral words. ERP data showed that threat words elicited more positive P2, compared with neutral words, in both groups. Neutral words elicited larger early posterior negativity (EPN) and social threat words elicited more positive LPP in the LSA group only. The HSA group did not exhibit the emotional effects of EPN and LPP. These data indicate that social anxiety can modulate the processing of social threat words.

Keywords: ERPs; Emotion processing; Social anxiety; Social threat words; Stroop task.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anxiety / psychology
Electroencephalography
Emotions*
Evoked Potentials*
Fear