Visual ERPs evidence for enhanced processing of threatening information in anxious university students. 1995

A M Weinstein
Psychology Department, University of Bristol, U.K.

There is accumulating evidence that highly anxious individuals selectively attend to threatening information; however, contrary to expectations, there is no evidence of enhanced processing of threat stimuli in those individuals. We investigated this question by using a sample of 20 University students who were split into two groups consisting of 10 high-anxious and 10 low-anxious subjects according to Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory score (median STAI = 40). Without emphasizing speed, subjects were required to decide whether visually presented words (positive, neutral, or threat) matched semantically with previous priming sentences (threat or positive) displayed on a computer screen (altogether, two types of priming sentences and three types of probe words). There was a fixed interval of 1.1 seconds between priming sentences (SI) and probe words (S2) as well as between each priming sentence word. Response time and visual event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in both conditions. The results showed that, compared to the Low-Anxious group, the amplitude of N100 and P400 were enhanced for the High-Anxious group in the threat priming conditions. Low-anxious individuals showed almost identical processing of threat-related situations and positive situations. Furthermore, the P400 peak latency was shorter for emotional incongruous probes in high-anxious individuals. ERPs results of the experiment suggest that highly anxious individuals deploy more processing resources to threatening information. This bias in information processing occurs in the absence of any behavioral changes (indicated by reaction times). Attentional bias in anxiety therefore implies that threatening information is given a priority over other information and is more persistently activated in anxiety states.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008606 Mental Processes Conceptual functions or thinking in all its forms. Information Processing, Human,Human Information Processing
D010775 Photic Stimulation Investigative technique commonly used during ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY in which a series of bright light flashes or visual patterns are used to elicit brain activity. Stimulation, Photic,Visual Stimulation,Photic Stimulations,Stimulation, Visual,Stimulations, Photic,Stimulations, Visual,Visual Stimulations
D011569 Psychiatric Status Rating Scales Standardized procedures utilizing rating scales or interview schedules carried out by health personnel for evaluating the degree of mental illness. Factor Construct Rating Scales (FCRS),Katz Adjustment Scales,Lorr's Inpatient Multidimensional Psychiatric Rating Scale,Wittenborn Scales,Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale,Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview
D011930 Reaction Time The time from the onset of a stimulus until a response is observed. Response Latency,Response Speed,Response Time,Latency, Response,Reaction Times,Response Latencies,Response Times,Speed, Response,Speeds, Response
D004569 Electroencephalography Recording of electric currents developed in the brain by means of electrodes applied to the scalp, to the surface of the brain, or placed within the substance of the brain. EEG,Electroencephalogram,Electroencephalograms
D005074 Evoked Potentials, Visual The electric response evoked in the cerebral cortex by visual stimulation or stimulation of the visual pathways. Visual Evoked Response,Evoked Potential, Visual,Evoked Response, Visual,Evoked Responses, Visual,Potential, Visual Evoked,Potentials, Visual Evoked,Response, Visual Evoked,Responses, Visual Evoked,Visual Evoked Potential,Visual Evoked Potentials,Visual Evoked Responses
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults

Related Publications

A M Weinstein
May 1990, The British journal of clinical psychology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!