The reinforcement sensitivity theory affects questionnaire (RST-AQ). A validation study of a new scale targeting affects related to anxiety, approach motivation and fear

Interaction of Sensitivity, Emotions, and Motivations During Visual Perception

When an organism is exposed to environmental stimuli of varying intensity, the adaptive changes in the CNS can be explained by several conceptual provisions: the law of motivation-activation by Yerkes and Dodson, the laws of force and pessimal protective inhibition, and the theory of emotion activation. Later, reinforcement sensitivity theory was developed in the fields of psychology and psychophysics. At the same time, cortical prepulse inhibition (PPI), the prepulse inhibition of perceived stimulus intensity (PPIPSI), and the augmentation/reduction phenomenon were proposed in sensory neurophysiology, which expanded our understanding of consciousness. The aim of this study was to identify markers of levels of activity of cognitive processes under normal and in psychopathological conditions while amplifying the information stimulus. For this purpose, we changed the contrast level of reversible checkerboard patterns and mapped the visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in 19 monopolar channels among 52 healthy subjects and 39 patients with a mental illness without an active productive pathology. Their cognitive functions were assessed by presenting visual tests to assess invariant pattern recognition, short-term visual memory, and Gestalt perception. The personalities of the healthy subjects were assessed according to Cattell's 16-factor questionnaire, linking the data from neurophysiological and cognitive studies to factors Q4 (relaxation/tension) and C (emotional stability). According to the N70 and N150 VEP waves, the healthy subjects and the patients were divided into two groups. In some, there was a direct relationship between VEP amplitude and contrast intensity (21 patients and 29 healthy persons), while in the others, there was an inverse relationship, with a reduction in VEP amplitude (18 patients and 23 healthy persons). The relationship and mechanisms of subjects' cognitive abilities and personality traits are discussed based on the data acquired from the responses to information stimuli of varied intensity.

Examination of associations between psychopathy and neural reinforcement sensitivity theory constructs

We investigated psychopathy from the neurobiological perspective of reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST). In contrast to previous semantically derived self-report scales, we operationalised RST systems neurally with evoked electroencephalography (EEG). Participants were from a community sample weighted towards externalising psychopathology. We compared the Carver & White Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS)/Behavioural Approach System (BAS) scales with EEG responses associated with RST's systems of goal conflict (aka 'behavioural inhibition'), repulsion/outcome conflict (aka 'fight/flight/freeze') and attraction (aka 'approach'). Bivariate correlations and multiple regression analysis yielded results generally consistent with past literature for associations between psychopathy and the self-report BIS/BAS scales. There were some differences from self-report associations with neural measures of RST. With EEG measures, (1) no meaningful associations were observed between any psychopathy scales and the attraction system; (2) affective-interpersonal traits of psychopathy were negatively associated with goal conflict; (3) disinhibition-behavioural traits of psychopathy were negatively associated with goal conflict but, unexpectedly, positively associated with outcome conflict. These results indicate frontal-temporal-limbic circuit dysfunction in psychopathy as specific domains were linked to neural deficits in goal conflict processing, but there was no evidence for deficits in attraction-related processes.

Unveiling the influence of the Italian mafia as a Dark Triad threat on individuals' affective states and the power of defense mechanisms

The present research investigated whether the Italian mafia as a Dark Triad threat increased threat-related affective states and explored how thinking about defense mechanisms may help to reduce these states. For this, we conducted a multi-method experimental study with Italians (N = 253). The quantitative results show that the mafia as a threat manipulation increased threat-related affective states in terms of higher behavioral inhibition (BIS) and lower behavioral activation (BAS). The qualitative results further depict proximal and distal defense mechanisms to reduce this threat, which can be categorized into models of threat and defense. Exploratory analyses indicate that naming distal defenses positively affected the increase of BAS. Additionally, when participants had higher levels of BIS after the threat, naming more defenses and proximal defenses positively affected the decrease of BIS. Further qualitative results provide valuable information on effective personal and societal buffers for the perceived threat of the Italian mafia.