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Kade SA, du Toit SA, Danielson CT, Schweizer S, Morrison AS, Ong DC, Prasad A, Holder LJ, Han J, Torok M, Wong QJJ. Aberrant cognitive empathy in individuals with elevated social anxiety and regulation with emotional working memory training. Cogn Emot 2024; 38:605-623. [PMID: 38349272 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2024.2314981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Social anxiety may disrupt the empathic process, and well-regulated empathy is critical for navigating the social world. Two studies aimed to further understand empathy in the context of social anxiety. Study 1 compared individuals with elevated or normative social anxiety on a measure assessing cognitive and affective empathy for positive and negative emotions conveyed by other people ("targets"), completed under social threat. Relative to individuals with normative social anxiety, individuals with elevated social anxiety had greater cognitive empathy and no differences in affective empathy, regardless of emotion type. As greater cognitive empathy can be maladaptive, Study 2 tested whether this could be down-regulated. Individuals with elevated social anxiety underwent emotional working memory training (eWMT) for negative emotional information, or control training (CT). Effects on an empathy measure completed under social threat were assessed. Cognitive empathy for negative emotions decreased following eWMT but not CT, and this was only evident for those with higher pre-training working memory capacity. Cognitive empathy for positive emotions and affective empathy were not affected. Overall, social anxiety is associated with aberrant elevated cognitive empathy for negative and positive emotions, and the deviation in cognitive empathy for negative emotions can be regulated with eWMT for certain individuals.Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry identifier: ACTRN12618001196235..
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Affiliation(s)
- Saif A Kade
- School of Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Simone A du Toit
- School of Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Susanne Schweizer
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Amanda S Morrison
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Hayward, CA, USA
| | - Desmond C Ong
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ashni Prasad
- School of Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Lauren J Holder
- School of Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jin Han
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Michelle Torok
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Quincy J J Wong
- School of Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
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2
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Sepehrinia M, Farahani H, Watson P, Amini N. Psychometric properties and item response theory analysis of the Persian version of the social pain questionnaire. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1372229. [PMID: 38680284 PMCID: PMC11050036 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1372229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Social pain is an emotional reaction which is triggered by social exclusion and has been extensively investigated in the literature. The Social Pain Questionnaire (SPQ) is a self-report instrument which is the only scale for measuring social pain as a dispositional factor. The current study aimed at examining the psychometric properties of the SPQ in an Iranian sample. Materials and methods A sample of participants (N = 400) was recruited in a cross-sectional validation study. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) as well as Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were conducted. The Item Response Theory (IRT) model parameters were evaluated and item response category curves were presented. Convergent and divergent validities as well as the reliability (by using Cronbach's alpha coefficient) were also assessed. Results The SPQ's unidimensionality was affirmed (RMSEA = 0.078; CFI = 0.915; TLI = 0.99) and its internal consistency was robust (Cronbach's α = 0.94). The correlation between the SPQ and the following measures endorsed its divergent and convergent validity: Self-esteem (r = -0.424), Perceived Social Support (r = -0.161), and Interpersonal Sensitivity (r = 0.636). Finally, Item Response Theory Analysis emphasized the effectiveness of the SPQ items in discerning various levels of social pain. The theta level ranged between -1 and + 1.2 and the IRT-based marginal reliability was 0.92 for the total score. Discussion The Persian SPQ stands as a reliable and valid measure for evaluating social pain. This scale has the potential to stimulate further research in the field for both clinical and non-clinical settings. Conclusion By employing Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis, we have transcended the theoretical psychometric evaluation of the SPQ scale and demonstrated that SPQ is a unidimensional, valid and reliable measurement tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahya Sepehrinia
- Department of Psychology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Peter Watson
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nasim Amini
- Department of Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
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3
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Israelashvili J, Dijk C, Fischer AH. Social anxiety is associated with personal distress and disrupted recognition of negative emotions. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24587. [PMID: 38317896 PMCID: PMC10839860 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Past research investigating the relation between social anxiety (SA), empathy and emotion recognition is marked by conceptual and methodological issues. In the present study, we aim to overcome these limitations by examining whether individuals with high (n = 40) vs. low (n = 43) social anxiety differed across these two facets of empathy and whether this could be related to their recognition of emotions. We employed a naturalistic emotion recognition paradigm in which participants watched short videos of individuals (targets) sharing authentic emotional experiences. After each video, we measured self-reported empathic concern and distress, as well as their ability to recognize the emotions expressed by the targets in the videos. Our results show that individuals with high social anxiety recognized the targets' emotions less accurately. Furthermore, high socially anxious individuals reported more personal distress than low socially anxious individuals, whereas no significant difference was found for empathic concern. The findings suggest that reduced recognition of emotions among SA individuals can be better explained by the negative effects of social stress than by a general deficit in empathy.
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Alvi T, Rosenfield D, Sunahara CS, Wallmark Z, Lee J, Tabak BA. Examining Unique Associations of Social Anxiety and Depression on Behaviorally Assessed Affective Empathy. Clin Psychol Sci 2022:216770262211047. [DOI: 10.1177/21677026221104735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of research suggests that cognitive empathy (i.e., understanding other people’s mental states) may be impaired in socially anxious and depressed individuals. However, few studies have examined whether affective empathy (i.e., sharing other people’s emotional states, referred to as “affect sharing”) may likewise be impaired in either form of psychopathology. In Study 1 ( n = 202), we examined the unique association between social anxiety (or depression) and affect sharing and the moderating role of anhedonia and stimuli valence above and beyond depression (or social anxiety). No main or interaction effects were found for social anxiety or depression in the prediction of affect sharing. In Study 2, we conducted a direct replication of Study 1 with a larger sample ( n = 324), which confirmed our findings from Study 1. Thus, the unique effects of social anxiety and depression may be more related to difficulties in cognitive, rather than affective, empathic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talha Alvi
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University
| | | | | | - Zachary Wallmark
- Department of Musicology and Ethnomusicology, University of Oregon
| | - Junghee Lee
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Nan J, Balasubramani PP, Ramanathan D, Mishra J. Neural dynamics during emotional video engagement relate to anxiety. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:993606. [PMID: 36438632 PMCID: PMC9691839 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.993606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Inter-subject correlations (ISCs) of physiological data can reveal common stimulus-driven processing across subjects. ISC has been applied to passive video viewing in small samples to measure common engagement and emotional processing. Here, in a large sample study of healthy adults (N = 163) who watched an emotional film (The Lion Cage by Charlie Chaplin), we recorded electroencephalography (EEG) across participants and measured ISC in theta, alpha and beta frequency bands. Peak ISC on the emotionally engaging video was observed three-quarters into the film clip, during a time period which potentially elicited a positive emotion of relief. Peak ISC in all frequency bands was focused over centro-parietal electrodes localizing to superior parietal cortex. ISC in both alpha and beta frequencies had a significant inverse relationship with anxiety symptoms. Our study suggests that ISC measured during continuous non-event-locked passive viewing may serve as a useful marker for anxious mood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Nan
- Neural Engineering and Translation Labs, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Pragathi P. Balasubramani
- Neural Engineering and Translation Labs, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Cognitive Science, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
| | - Dhakshin Ramanathan
- Neural Engineering and Translation Labs, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Mental Health, VA San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, CA, United States
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Jyoti Mishra
- Neural Engineering and Translation Labs, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
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Dillon-Owens C, Findley-Van Nostrand D, Ojanen T, Buchholz C, Valdes O. Early Adolescent Cognitive and Affective Empathy. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1027/1864-9335/a000499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Abstract. Cognitive and affective empathy have diverging relations to social–emotional adjustment. However, particularly during adolescence, these associations are not thoroughly understood. Using the Basic Empathy Scale (BES), we examined cognitive and affective empathy (including emotional contagion and emotional disconnection) in association with social–emotional adjustment (negative affect, shyness, social self-efficacy, friendship quality, and peer victimization) in early adolescents ( N = 321). Cognitive empathy and emotional contagion showed divergent links (cognitive empathy was related to positive adjustment, while emotional contagion was related to negative adjustment but also higher friendship quality). Emotional disconnection was negatively associated with social self-efficacy, supporting affective empathy as having multiple factors itself. The findings further validate the BES as a three-factor measure and have implications for understanding social–emotional adjustment in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody Dillon-Owens
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | | | - Tiina Ojanen
- Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | | | - Olivia Valdes
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
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Alvi T, Kumar D, Tabak BA. Social anxiety and behavioral assessments of social cognition: A systematic review. J Affect Disord 2022; 311:17-30. [PMID: 35490878 PMCID: PMC9754122 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social anxiety is highly prevalent and has increased in young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since social anxiety negatively impacts interpersonal functioning, identifying aspects of social cognition that may be impaired can increase our understanding of the development and maintenance of social anxiety disorder. However, to date, studies examining associations between social anxiety and social cognition have resulted in mixed findings. METHODS The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the literature on the association between social anxiety and social cognition, while also considering several potential moderators and covariates that may influence findings. RESULTS A systematic search identified 52 studies. Results showed mixed evidence for the association between social anxiety and lower-level social cognitive processes (emotion recognition and affect sharing) and a trend for a negative association with higher-level social cognitive processes (theory of mind and empathic accuracy). Most studies examining valence-specific effects found a significant negative association for positive and neutral stimuli. LIMITATIONS Not all aspects of social cognition were included (e.g., attributional bias) and we focused on adults and not children, limiting the scope of the review. CONCLUSIONS Future studies would benefit from the inclusion of relevant moderators and covariates, multiple well-validated measures within the same domain of social cognition, and assessments of interpersonal functioning outside of the laboratory. Additional research examining the moderating role of attention or interpretation biases on social cognitive performance, and the potential benefit of social cognitive skills training for social anxiety, could inform and improve existing cognitive behavioral interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Benjamin A. Tabak
- Corresponding author at: Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, 6116 N. Central Expressway, Suite 1300, Dallas, TX 75206, USA
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Repetti C, Eskenazi M, Garcia S. You feel me? A randomized trial of tDCS on pain empathy. Int J Psychophysiol 2022; 179:1-5. [PMID: 35753564 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Pain empathy has a number of social benefits, but can be problematic in those who feel the pain of others too much. The current study examined the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a modifier of pain empathy with the expectation that cathodal stimulation would decrease pain empathy. Anxiety and general empathy were controlled for, given past work demonstrating their impact on pain empathy. Participants were randomized to either active (cathodal; n = 55) or sham tDCS (n = 55) at 2 mA for 20 min while watching videos of painful events and completing a pain empathy simulation questionnaire. Bayesian linear regression analysis indicated no evidence that tDCS condition affected pain empathy. However, there was strong evidence in favor of a positive relationship between anxiety and pain empathy, and extreme evidence between general empathy and pain empathy. The current study examined a montage over the temporoparietal junction though future work should also investigate other areas related to pain empathy such as the anterior cingulate cortex. Results provide evidence of the need for stronger methodological considerations with regard to tDCS including larger sample sizes. Further, the connection between anxiety and pain empathy demonstrates the need for treatments to not only target classic anxiety symptoms, but other factors than may worsen daily functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sarah Garcia
- Stetson University, DeLand, FL, United States of America.
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9
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Öztürk Y, Özyurt G, Turan S, Mutlu C, Tufan AE, Pekcanlar Akay A. Association of theory of mind and empathy abilities in adolescents with social anxiety disorder. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-020-00707-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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10
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Umutlu D, Memis CO, Umutlu Y, Sevincok D, Sevincok L. Empathy in Social Anxiety Disorder: The Association with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Psychiatry 2022; 85:72-85. [PMID: 34338620 DOI: 10.1080/00332747.2021.1952034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Objectives: Our main hypothesis in this study was that patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had lower empathy levels than those without ADHD. Also, after controlling for the severity of SAD and depression, we hypothesized that ADHD symptoms contributed to lower levels of empathy in SAD patients.Methods: 72 patients (46 females, 32 males) with SAD between the ages of 18-65 years were divided into two groups as those with (n = 32) and those without ADHD (n = 40). Participants were evaluated using the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), Turgay's Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Empathy Quotient. In this study, Mann Whitney-U test, Spearman correlation test, logistic and multiple regression analysis were used.Results: Education level (U = 371.5, p = .002) and empathy scores (U = 259.5, p < .0001) of SAD patients with ADHD were significantly lower than those without ADHD. BDI (U = 206.5, p < .0001), LSAS total (U = 454.5, p = .036), fear (U = 457.0, p = .038), and avoidance scores (U = 453.0, p = .034) were higher in SAD patients with ADHD than those without ADHD. Low levels of empathy (B = - 0.119, Exp(B) = 0.895, p = .014) and high severity of current depression (B = 0.119, Exp(B) = 1.127, p = .001) were significantly associated with comorbidity between SAD and ADHD. ADHD-inattention (β = -0.369, Exp(B) = -0.541, p = .004), and depression (β = -0.262, Exp(B) = -0.212, p = .036) negatively predicted empathy levels.Conclusions: Our findings may provide some evidence for the contribution of ADHD-inattention and depression to poor empathy in SAD patients. Therefore, it is recommended that symptoms of ADHD-inattention and depression should be carefully evaluated in SAD patients with low empathy.
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11
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ISIEA: An image database of social inclusion and exclusion in young Asian adults. Behav Res Methods 2021; 54:2409-2421. [PMID: 34918228 PMCID: PMC9579065 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-021-01736-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Human beings have a fundamental need to belong. Evaluating and dealing with social exclusion and social inclusion events, which represent negative and positive social interactions, respectively, are closely linked to our physical and mental health. In addition to traditional paradigms that simulate scenarios of social interaction, images are utilized as effective visual stimuli for research on socio-emotional processing and regulation. Since the current mainstream emotional image database lacks social stimuli based on a specific social context, we introduced an open-access image database of social inclusion/exclusion in young Asian adults (ISIEA). This database contains a set of 164 images depicting social interaction scenarios under three categories of social contexts (social exclusion, social neutral, and social inclusion). All images were normatively rated on valence, arousal, inclusion score, and vicarious feeling by 150 participants in Study 1. We additionally examined the relationships between image ratings and the potential factors influencing ratings. The importance of facial expression and social context in the image rating of ISIEA was examined in Study 2. We believe that this database allows researchers to select appropriate materials for socially related studies and to flexibly conduct experimental control.
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Cosmoiu A, Nedelcea C. Factors impacting the experience of empathic distress in social anxiety: a path analysis approach. The Journal of Social Psychology 2021; 162:57-70. [PMID: 34913406 DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2021.2003284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Personal distress is a manifestation of empathy characterized by a tendency to respond to others' difficulties by increasing one's distress. Previous work on socially anxious individuals has shown mixed results, consistent with a model of social anxiety symptomatology characterized by increased personal distress in empathy eliciting situations, which is driven by emotional dysregulation. The current study aimed to test a serial mediation model to uncover the role of emotional dysregulation in the relationship between social anxiety and empathic distress. 330 young adults were included in the sample. Social anxiety symptomatology, difficulty identifying one's feelings, expressive suppression, and empathic distress were analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling. Measurement and structural models were supported by data, with social anxiety exhibiting direct and indirect effects on empathic distress. Results also suggest that expressive suppression exhibits a negative effect on the distress exhibited in empathy eliciting situations, which brings forth relevant theoretical and clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cosmoiu
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cătălin Nedelcea
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
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Zhang M, Zhang Y, Mu Y, Wei Z, Kong Y. Gender discrimination facilitates fMRI responses and connectivity to thermal pain. Neuroimage 2021; 244:118644. [PMID: 34637906 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Gender discrimination is a serious social issue that has been shown to increase negative consequences, especially in females when accompanied by acute or chronic pain. Experiencing social pain through discrimination can increase an individual's evaluation of evoked physical pain. However, few studies have explored the mechanism underlying how gender discrimination modulates brain responses when individuals experience physical pain evoked by noxious stimuli. In this study, we addressed this issue using a gender discrimination fMRI paradigm with thermal pain stimulation. We found that discrimination indeed affected participants' own behavioral self-evaluation of noxious stimuli. Discrimination-encoded brain activations were identified in the temporopolar cortex, while brain activations to thermal stimuli after viewing pictures of discrimination were found in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). Brain activations in the temporopolar cortex and the dACC were correlated. Furthermore, pain perception-specific functional connectivity of the dACC-SII in the cue stage and the dACC-frontal in the pain stage were identified, suggesting a facilitative effect of gender discrimination on females' experience of physical pain. Our results indicate that the dACC may play a central role in mediating the affective aspect of physical pain after experiencing discrimination. These findings provide novel insights into the underlying mechanism of how gender discrimination facilitates females' experience of physical pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuqi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yan Mu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhaoxing Wei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yazhuo Kong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom.
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Lord KA, Suvak MK, Liverant GI. Social anxiety, rejection sensitivity, and theory of mind decoding ability. J Clin Psychol 2021; 78:656-670. [PMID: 34487356 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Recent initiatives have highlighted the importance of investigating clinically relevant variations in social processes that contribute to mental illness. Surprisingly little research has examined the associations between socially and clinically relevant transdiagnostic factors, such as social anxity (SA) and rejection sensitvity (RS), on theory of mind (ToM) decoding ability. METHODS The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task and self-report measures of SA and RS were completed by 199 adult participants. RESULTS Linear regression analyses suggest a specific difficulty decoding positive emotion associated with SA and global decrements in ToM associated with RS that may reflect a negative interpretation bias. CONCLUSIONS These findings may have important implications for understanding how those with SA and RS perceive and navigate social interactions, which may contribute to the maintenance of symptoms and decreased psychosocial functioning.
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Hudd T, Moscovitch DA. Reconnecting in the Face of Exclusion: Individuals with High Social Anxiety May Feel the Push of Social Pain, but not the Pull of Social Rewards. COGNITIVE THERAPY AND RESEARCH 2021; 46:420-435. [PMID: 34421156 PMCID: PMC8369445 DOI: 10.1007/s10608-021-10263-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Background Previous research has shown that high levels of trait social anxiety (SA) disrupt the social repair processes following a painful social exclusion, but the cognitive mechanisms involved in these processes and how trait SA may disrupt them remain unknown. Methods We conducted a preregistered study on Prolific participants (N = 452) who were assigned to experience either social exclusion or inclusion and were then exposed to follow-up opportunities for social reconnection. Results Moderated mediation analyses revealed that irrespective of levels of SA, participants responded to social pain with heightened approach motivation and greater downstream positive affect. Exploratory analyses revealed that heightened desire to affiliate was driven by increased curiosity and attention to social rewards. Moreover, higher SA was associated with lower overall desire to affiliate and this relationship between SA and affiliation was mediated by diminished reward responsiveness. Conclusions Findings highlight the roles of goal pursuit and social reward responsiveness in social repair and how high levels of trait SA may disrupt these processes. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10608-021-10263-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Hudd
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L-3G1 Canada
| | - David A Moscovitch
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L-3G1 Canada
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17
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Simonsen S, Bo S. Awakening to recognize the detrimental effects of social avoidance and the possibility of healing through reconnection. J Clin Psychol 2021; 77:1153-1161. [PMID: 33821501 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Loneliness and social avoidance are widespread and serious mental health problems. People experiencing loneliness or social avoidance have difficulties maintaining ordinary life activities and often experience profound suffering. How do we as clinicians deal with or help people out of loneliness and social avoidance? AIMS In this paper, we introduce the issue on loneliness and social avoidance. We do so by first defining loneliness and social avoidance and outlining the impact on mental health issues of these phenomena. Next, we introduce the six papers central to the special issue along with some thoughts on how to understand therapy and treatment of social avoidance. DISCUSSION We discuss new directions and how to move beyond more conventional therapeutic approaches to these problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sune Bo
- Psychiatric Research Unit, Region Zealand Psychiatry, Slagelse, Denmark.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Region Zealand Psychiatry, Roskilde, Denmark
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Pittelkow MM, Aan Het Rot M, Seidel LJ, Feyel N, Roest AM. Social Anxiety and Empathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Anxiety Disord 2021; 78:102357. [PMID: 33588287 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2021.102357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to clarify the association between social anxiety and affective (AE) and cognitive empathy (CE). METHODS 1442 studies from PsycINFO, Medline, and EMBASE (inception-January 2020) were systematically reviewed. Included studies (N = 48) either predicted variance in empathy using social anxiety scores or compared empathy scores between socially anxious individuals and a control group. RESULTS Social anxiety and AE were statistically significantly positively associated, k = 14, r = .103 (95%CI [.003, .203]), z = 2.03, p = .043. Sex (QM (2) = 18.79, p < .0001), and type of measures (QM (1 = 7.34, p = .007) moderated the association. Correlations were significant for male samples (rmale = .316, (95%CI [.200, .432])) and studies using self-report measures (rself-report = .162 (95%CI [.070, .254])). Overall, social anxiety and CE were not significantly associated, k = 52, r =-.021 (95%CI [-.075, .034]), z= -0.74, p = .459. Sample type moderated the association (QM (1) = 5.03, p < .0001). For clinical samples the association was negative (rclinical= -.112, (95%CI [-.201, -.017]). CONCLUSION There was evidence for a positive association between social anxiety and AE, but future studies are needed to verify the moderating roles of sex and type of measure. Besides, low CE might only hold for patients with SAD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marije Aan Het Rot
- Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Netherlands; School Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Groningen, Netherlands; Interdisciplinary Centre for Psychopathology and Emotion regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, Netherlands
| | | | - Nils Feyel
- Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Annelieke M Roest
- Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Netherlands; Interdisciplinary Centre for Psychopathology and Emotion regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, Netherlands
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Look at me: The relation between empathy and fixation on the emotional eye-region in low vs. high social anxiety. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2021; 70:101610. [PMID: 32861912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2020.101610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Fixation on another person's eye-region may be an effective measure of one's level of empathy. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that this type of empathy measure may not be appropriate for individuals with high levels of social anxiety, since avoidance or hypervigilance attentional biases towards emotional faces are frequent in this condition. METHODS Using eye-tracking, we measured fixation time on the eye-region of another person in participants with low vs. high social anxiety, and we correlated this measure with empathy levels. In a second eye-tracking task, the two groups of participants were presented with pairs of emotional-neutral faces to determine the presence of attentional biases. RESULTS While participants with low social anxiety showed an association between empathy and fixation time on the other person's eyes, the association was null for participants with high social anxiety. Attentional biases towards emotional faces were absent in high social anxiety, but social anxiety correlated negatively with fixation on the eye region. LIMITATIONS Our sample was made up of Psychology undergraduates, and this may have had an influence on gaze behavior towards the eye region. CONCLUSION Fixation on the eye region is not a valid measure of empathy in high social anxiety, possibly due to systematic eye-region avoidance.
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20
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Macpherson MC, Bîrlӑdeanu A, Miles LK. Examining the relationship between subclinical levels of social anxiety and the rubber hand illusion. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2021; 212:103209. [PMID: 33197642 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2020.103209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
An embodied sense of self allows individuals to acquire moment-to-moment insight regarding the relationship between themselves and their environment. Fundamental to this experience is information regarding body ownership and self-location, which can inform both intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning. Although it is well documented that variation in mental health symptoms can impact the accuracy of bodily self-perception, little research has, to date, explored the influence of social anxiety on the embodied self. To address this issue, here we propose to examine the impact of social anxiety on the rubber hand illusion (RHI), a procedure which can distort perceptions of body location and ownership. Related literature points to competing predictions relative to how symptoms of social anxiety potentially impact susceptibility to the RHI. In the current manuscript we present the results of a pilot study indicating a positive relationship between the strength of the RHI and social anxiety, and detail a proposed registered report that seeks to replicate and extend this experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Macpherson
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Australia.
| | - A Bîrlӑdeanu
- School of Computing Science, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - L K Miles
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Australia
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21
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Berg SK, Bedwell JS, Dvorak RD, Tone EB. Higher Social Anxiety Severity Predicts Better Cognitive Empathy Performance in Women but Not Men. Psychol Rep 2020; 124:2549-2566. [PMID: 33050799 DOI: 10.1177/0033294120965496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Findings regarding relationships between social anxiety and subtypes of empathy have been mixed, and one study suggested that this may be due to moderation by biological sex. The present study examined whether accounting for general anxiety and biological sex clarifies these relationships. Undergraduates (N = 701, 76% female) completed online self-report measures of cognitive and affective empathy, social and general anxiety severity, and a behavioral measure of cognitive empathy (Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task; MIE). Path analysis examined relationships among social and general anxiety severity and affective and cognitive empathy. Model modification indices showed a significant influence of sex on the path from social anxiety severity to MIE accuracy. When the model was re-estimated with this path freed, more socially anxious women, but not men, showed greater MIE accuracy. Across both sexes, general anxiety severity related negatively to self-reported and behavioral (MIE) cognitive empathy. Affective empathy did not relate to either type of anxiety. The use of path analysis to simultaneously account for overlapping variance among measures of anxiety and empathy helps clarify earlier mixed findings on relationships between social anxiety and empathy subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Robert D Dvorak
- Department of Psychology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Erin B Tone
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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22
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Hudd T, Moscovitch DA. Coping with social wounds: How social pain and social anxiety influence access to social rewards. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2020; 68:101572. [PMID: 32315823 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2020.101572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Prior studies have shown that people display signs of increased social approach motivation and affiliative behaviour in response to social exclusion. This response is considered an adaptive strategy that serves to repair damage to social networks and increase access to mood-enhancing social rewards. However, heightened trait social anxiety (SA) has been linked to decreased approach motivation and responsiveness to social rewards. In the current preliminary experimental study, we tested whether trait SA inhibits the expected increase in social approach following the pain of exclusion. We then tested whether diminished social approach is associated with reduced positive affect. METHODS Participants played a game of Cyberball and were randomly assigned to receive significantly fewer passes (exclusion condition) or an equal number of passes (control condition) as other players. Subsequently, participants were given the opportunity to engage in an online social interaction activity with avatars they believed were other participants. RESULTS Analyses revealed that the exclusion condition led to greater social pain than the control condition. Across conditions, greater social pain was associated with higher levels of approach motivation in anticipation of the social interaction activity, but only for individuals with lower levels of trait SA. Finally, when controlling for levels of trait SA, social pain was associated with positive affect following the social interaction activity, but only for individuals with higher levels of approach motivation. LIMITATIONS Participants consisted predominantly of female undergraduates, limiting generalizability of these data. As well, hypotheses were supported for the measure of approach motivation but not the measure of approach behaviour. Finally, this study was not powered to enable moderated mediation analyses, which would have provided the most direct test of the hypothesized model. CONCLUSIONS Heightened approach motivation in the face of social pain may facilitate increased positive affect. However, higher levels of trait SA dampen approach motivation. Future well-powered studies should use moderated mediation analyses to test the hypothesized model more parsimoniously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Hudd
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment, University of Waterloo, Canada.
| | - David A Moscovitch
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment, University of Waterloo, Canada
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23
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Abstract
Empathy, broadly defined as the ability to understand the other and to share others' emotions, motivates prosocial behavior and underlies successful interpersonal relations. Dysfunctions in this ability may cause fundamental difficulties in social communication. Empathy has been measured in various ways, from self-report questionnaires to laboratory objective performance tests. Empathic accuracy (EA), i.e., the ability to accurately empathize, is measured using more complex and ecological paradigms, such as asking participants to infer filmed interactions, or having people narrate personal emotional stories then assessing the correspondence between the perceiver and the target of empathy as the criteria for empathic ability. This measure is particularly useful in the study of clinical populations, where deconstructing the multifaceted concept of empathy may contribute to a more complete understanding of specific clinical profiles. This paper presents a scoping review of the literature on EA in clinical populations, and on EA and clinical traits and states in nonclinical or high-risk populations. Following an exhaustive literature search, 34 studies were found eligible to be included in this review. The largest category was studies focused on EA in people with schizophrenia (31%; 11 papers), followed by studies focused on EA in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and autistic traits in a nonclinical population (22%; 8 papers). Studies were also found on EA and depression tendencies, psychopathy, social anxiety, behavior disorders, and personality disorders, and a few other clinical conditions. The included studies varied on research aims, designs, sample sizes, and male:female ratios. The overall synthesized results suggest that EA is reduced in schizophrenia and ASD. In other clinical populations, the number of studies was very limited. We urge researchers to further examine EA in these less-studied populations. The review reveals a general underrepresentation of female participants in studies on EA in clinical populations. We suggest that future research address understudied clinical populations, such as those diagnosed with psychopathy. Subject, target, and situational variables should also be considered, with special attention to gender differences (and similarities), the association between EA abilities and adaptive functioning, and the study of individuals with clinical conditions as targets, not just observers, in EA tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anat Perry
- Psychology Department, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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24
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Morrison AS, Mateen MA, Brozovich FA, Zaki J, Goldin PR, Heimberg RG, Gross JJ. Changes in Empathy Mediate the Effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy but Not Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Social Anxiety Disorder. Behav Ther 2019; 50:1098-1111. [PMID: 31735245 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2019.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) has been shown to be associated with difficulty in the ability to vicariously share others' positive emotions (positive affective empathy). Mixed evidence also suggests potentially impaired recognition of the positive and negative emotions of others (cognitive empathy) and impaired or enhanced sharing of the negative emotions of others (negative affective empathy). Therefore, we examined whether two efficacious treatments for SAD, cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBGT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), improve empathy in SAD relative to a wait-list condition and whether improvements in empathy mediate improvements in social anxiety. In the context of a randomized controlled trial, participants with SAD completed an empathy task at baseline, posttreatment/wait-list (N = 81), and 1-year follow-up (N = 37). Relative to both MBSR and wait-list, CBGT resulted in significant improvements in positive affective empathy. CBGT-related changes in positive affective empathy also mediated improvements in social anxiety at both posttreatment/wait-list and at 1-year follow-up. Other indices of empathy did not change differentially across the three conditions. Therefore, one way in which CBGT may specifically confer benefits to individuals with SAD is through increasing their ability or willingness to share in the positive emotions of others.
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25
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Kunst LE, Maas J, Van Assen MALM, Van der Heijden W, Bekker MHJ. Autonomy deficits as vulnerability for anxiety: evidence from two laboratory-based studies. ANXIETY STRESS AND COPING 2019; 32:244-258. [PMID: 30776918 DOI: 10.1080/10615806.2019.1580697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autonomous individuals are characterized by self-governance; awareness of and capacity to realize one's wishes and needs, while being connected with and sensitive towards others. In line with earlier research showing consistent associations between autonomy-connectedness deficits and anxiety, we tested in two studies whether autonomy deficits predict anxious responses to acute stressors. METHODS In Study 1, participants (N = 177) viewed an anxiety-inducing film fragment and reported anxiety before and after viewing the clip. In experimental Study 2, participants (N = 100) were randomly allocated to one of two conditions: giving a short presentation to an audience (impromptu speech task) or watching another person's presentation (control condition). Anxiety was measured at baseline, after a preparation period and directly after the presentation. RESULTS In Study 1, individuals' anxiety in reaction to watching the movie was positively associated with the autonomy-connectedness component sensitivity to others. In Study 2, individuals' anxiety in reaction to preparing the presentation was negatively associated with the autonomy-connectedness component self-awareness. CONCLUSIONS Specific autonomy components may be related to experiencing anxiety in differing situations (i.e., related to others' distress or presenting one's personal views). Collectively these results indicate that autonomy-connectedness deficits may form a vulnerability factor for experiencing anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- L E Kunst
- a Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology , Tilburg University , Tilburg , Netherlands
| | - J Maas
- a Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology , Tilburg University , Tilburg , Netherlands.,b Center for Eating Disorders Helmond , Mental Health Center Region Oost-Brabant , Helmond , Netherlands
| | - M A L M Van Assen
- c Department of Methodology and Statistics , Tilburg University , Tilburg , Netherlands.,d Department of Sociology , Utrecht University , Utrecht , Netherlands
| | - W Van der Heijden
- a Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology , Tilburg University , Tilburg , Netherlands
| | - M H J Bekker
- a Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology , Tilburg University , Tilburg , Netherlands
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26
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Preti E, Casini E, Richetin J, De Panfilis C, Fontana A. Cognitive and Emotional Components of Rejection Sensitivity: Independent Contributions to Adolescent Self- and Interpersonal Functioning. Assessment 2018; 27:1230-1241. [DOI: 10.1177/1073191118817866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In this article, we focus on rejection sensitivity (RS) in adolescents. Although the RS model distinguishes clearly between the emotional (i.e., anger and anxiety) and the cognitive (i.e., expectation of rejection) components, research has rarely examined their unique connection with psychological problems. We argue that considering the three components separately would provide additional insights regarding the relationship between RS and psychological problems. We aimed to test the goodness of fit of a three-factor solution and to investigate the validity of the three components separately in predicting self- and interpersonal functioning in adolescents. Indeed, 720 adolescents completed the Children’s Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire, self-reports of self- and interpersonal functioning (self-esteem and interpersonal reactivity), and peer ratings of preference and bothersomeness. The three-factor solution showed fit indexes comparable to the two alternative one-factor solutions underlying the traditional approach of the composite scores. More importantly, we found specific contributions of each of the three RS components in predicting different features of self- and interpersonal functioning. Thus, depending on the psychological problems under consideration, the role of the three RS components varies. We discuss the implications of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Preti
- University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Personality Disorders Lab, Parma, Italy
| | | | | | - Chiara De Panfilis
- Personality Disorders Lab, Parma, Italy
- University of Parma, Ospedale Maggiore, Parma, Italy
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27
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Luo P, Zhuang M, Jie J, Wu X, Zheng X. State Anxiety Down-Regulates Empathic Responses: Electrophysiological Evidence. Front Hum Neurosci 2018; 12:502. [PMID: 30618683 PMCID: PMC6297672 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
State anxiety is common in our life and has a significant impact on our emotion, cognition and behavior. Previous studies demonstrate that people in a negative mood are associated with low sympathy and high personal distress. However, it is unknown how state anxiety regulates empathic responses so far. Here, we recorded event-related brain potentials (ERP) from the experimental group who were in state anxiety and the control group when they were watching painful and neutral pictures. Participants in the experimental group and the control group were asked to do the same mental arithmetic problems. The only difference was that the experimental group had time restriction and was evaluated by the observer. The results showed that no significant N2 differentiation between painful and neutral stimuli was found in both groups. In contrast, LPP amplitudes induced by painful stimuli were significantly larger than that of neutral stimuli in the control group, but not in the experimental group. Our results indicate that state anxiety inhibit empathic responses from the early emotional sharing stage to the late cognitive evaluation stage. It provides neuroscientific evidence that one’s own emotional state will have an important impact on empathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinchao Luo
- School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengdi Zhuang
- School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Jie
- School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,Center for Mental Health Education, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiayun Wu
- School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xifu Zheng
- School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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28
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Cooper D, Anderson T. Interpersonal Subtypes Within Social Anxiety: The Identification of Distinct Social Features. J Pers Assess 2017; 101:64-72. [PMID: 28980830 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2017.1373116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Although social anxiety disorder is defined by anxiety-related symptoms, little research has focused on the interpersonal features of social anxiety. Prior studies (Cain, Pincus, & Grosse Holtforth, 2010; Kachin, Newman, & Pincus, 2001) identified distinct subgroups of socially anxious individuals' interpersonal circumplex problems that were blends of agency and communion, and yet inconsistencies remain. We predicted 2 distinct interpersonal subtypes would exist for individuals with high social anxiety, and that these social anxiety subtypes would differ on empathetic concern, paranoia, received peer victimization, perspective taking, and emotional suppression. From a sample of 175 undergraduate participants, 51 participants with high social anxiety were selected as above a clinical cutoff on the social phobia scale. Cluster analyses identified 2 interpersonal subtypes of socially anxious individuals: low hostility-high submissiveness (Cluster 1) and high hostility-high submissiveness (Cluster 2). Cluster 1 reported higher levels of empathetic concern, lower paranoia, less peer victimization, and lower emotional suppression compared to Cluster 2. There were no differences between subtypes on perspective taking or cognitive reappraisal. Findings are consistent with an interpersonal conceptualization of social anxiety, and provide evidence of distinct social features between these subtypes. Findings have implications for the etiology, classification, and treatment of social anxiety.
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29
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Morrison AS, Mateen MA, Brozovich FA, Zaki J, Goldin PR, Heimberg RG, Gross JJ. Empathy for positive and negative emotions in social anxiety disorder. Behav Res Ther 2016; 87:232-242. [PMID: 27816799 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2016.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Revised: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is associated with elevated negative and diminished positive affective experience. However, little is known about the way in which individuals with SAD perceive and respond emotionally to the naturally-unfolding negative and positive emotions of others, that is, cognitive empathy and affective empathy, respectively. In the present study, participants with generalized SAD (n = 32) and demographically-matched healthy controls (HCs; n = 32) completed a behavioral empathy task. Cognitive empathy was indexed by the correlation between targets' and participants' continuous ratings of targets' emotions, whereas affective empathy was indexed by the correlation between targets' and participants' continuous self-ratings of emotion. Individuals with SAD differed from HCs only in positive affective empathy: they were less able to vicariously share others' positive emotions. Mediation analyses revealed that poor emotional clarity and negative interpersonal perceptions among those with SAD might account for this finding. Future research using experimental methodology is needed to examine whether this finding represents an inability or unwillingness to share positive affect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda S Morrison
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Jordan Hall, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Maria A Mateen
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Jordan Hall, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Faith A Brozovich
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Jordan Hall, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jamil Zaki
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Jordan Hall, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Philippe R Goldin
- Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California, Davis Health System, Education Building, 4610 X Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Richard G Heimberg
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Weiss Hall 420, 1701 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - James J Gross
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Jordan Hall, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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