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Zhang M, Wang J, Li Q, Li S, Bao X, Chen X. Temporal characteristics of emotional conflict processing: the modulation role of attachment styles. Int J Psychophysiol 2023; 193:112243. [PMID: 37689370 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.112243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Theoretical account of attachment proposed that individual differences in adult attachment styles play a key role in adjusting balance between affective evaluation and cognitive control. Yet, little is known about the temporal characteristics of emotional conflict processing modulated by attachment styles. Accordingly, the present study used event-related potentials (ERP) and multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) combined with an emotional face-word Stroop task to investigate the temporal dynamics of attachment-related cognitive-affective patterns in emotional conflict processing. The ERP results demonstrated multiple-process of emotional conflict modulated by attachment styles. In early sensory processing, positive faces captured avoidant attachment individuals' attention as reflected in greater P1, while the same situation led to greater N170 in secure and anxious individuals. Crucially, impairment in conflict-monitoring function was found in anxious individuals as reflected by the absence of interference effect on N450, leading to impaired ability of inhibitory control as indicated by decreased slow potential. In contrast, avoidant individuals showed greater slow potential for inhibiting emotional interference. Furthermore, MVPA revealed that the corresponding time window for conflict monitoring was found for emotional distractors decoding rather than congruency decoding in the anxious attachment group. Convergent results from ERPs and MVPA indicated that the deficits in emotional conflict monitoring and resolution among anxious individuals might be due to the excessive approach to emotional distractors, as they habitually use emotional evaluation rather than cognitive control. In summary, the present study provides electrophysiological evidence that attachment styles modulated emotional conflict processing, which highlights the contribution of attachment to social information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengke Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jing Wang
- School of Psychology, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, China
| | - Qing Li
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Song Li
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiuqin Bao
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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2
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Peng X, Gillath O, Jiang M, Wang B, Zhang J, Wu L. Attachment style and attention bias to emotional information: The moderating effect of stress, stimulus characteristics, and attention stage. J Pers 2023. [PMID: 37870284 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We examined whether insecurely attached individuals exhibit an attention bias to emotional information, and further tested the potential moderating role of stress, information valence, information attachment relevance, and attention stage. BACKGROUND Attachment style can predict people's attention to emotional information. However, the empirical findings are inconsistent, making it difficult to determine the associations between attachment style and attention bias to emotional information. METHOD We included 68 studies (N = 5417) across 46 published and unpublished articles (the initial pool was 627 articles) in the meta-analysis. RESULTS People high on attachment avoidance exhibited decreased attention toward emotional stimuli (d = -0.129, p = 0.020), which was not affected by stress, information valence, information attachment relevance, or attention stage. Conversely, people high on attachment anxiety exhibited increased attention toward emotional stimuli, especially under stress, if the information was attachment-related, and during late-stage attentional processing. They exhibited an early bias away from and a late bias toward emotional information, which was intensified under stress. CONCLUSION Our findings support the proposition that people high on attachment avoidance use deactivating strategies in attentional processing; whereas people high on attachment anxiety use hyperactivating strategies, especially when resources are limited (under stress). When resources are available, and it is relatively early in the process, people high on attachment anxiety respond similarly to those high on attachment avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyuan Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Omri Gillath
- Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Mengjie Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Beiyi Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lili Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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3
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Zuckerman I, Laufer I, Mizrahi D. Attachment style, emotional feedback, and neural processing: investigating the influence of attachment on the P200 and P400 components of event-related potentials. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1249978. [PMID: 37727864 PMCID: PMC10505959 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1249978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the interplay between attachment style, emotional processing, and neural responses is crucial for comprehending the diverse ways individuals function socially and emotionally. While previous research has contributed to our knowledge of how attachment style influences emotional processing, there is still a gap in the literature when it comes to investigating emotional feedback using event-related potentials (ERPs) within a cognitive framework. This study aims to address this gap by examining the effects of attachment style and feedback valence on ERP components, specifically focusing on the P200 and P400. The findings reveal significant effects of attachment style and feedback valence on both components. In insecure attachment styles, noticeable shifts in relative energy are observed during the transition from negative to positive feedback for both the P200 and P400. Conversely, individuals with secure attachment styles exhibit minimal to moderate variations in relative energy, consistently maintaining a lower P200 energy level. Additionally, both secure and insecure individuals demonstrate heightened intensity in the P400 component in response to positive feedback. These findings underscore the influential role of attachment style in shaping emotional reactivity and regulation, emphasizing the significance of attachment theory in understanding individual differences in social and emotional functioning. This study provides novel insights into the neural mechanisms underlying the influence of attachment style on emotional processing within the context of cognitive task performance. Future research should consider diverse participant samples, employ objective measures of attachment, and utilize longitudinal designs to further explore the neural processes associated with attachment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dor Mizrahi
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
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4
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ERP and attachment dimensions as predictors of seeking care or food comfort in stressful situations. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3170. [PMID: 36823203 PMCID: PMC9950445 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29493-0] [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: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to test the association of the Late Positive Potential (LPP) response and attachment dimensions in the choice of care/food pictures and its reaction time (RT) in threatening versus neutral conditions. Fifty-two participants (38 females, Mage 22.62) responded to the ECR questionnaire and were exposed to adequate visual stimuli, during EEG recording. Results showed that threatening stimuli increase the choice of care, decrease RT, and increase LPP magnitude in centro-parietal areas (Cpz, Pz, P3 and P4). Food choice was lower, with increased RT. Furthermore, larger LPP magnitude in centro-parietal cluster was associated with increased RT in the choice of care. Considering the dimensions of attachment, in threatening conditions, while anxiety was not associated with RT and care/food choice, avoidance was associated with an increase in care choice and RT. In conclusion, the specific association of increased RT in care choice with high LPP magnitude centro-parietal cluster may be explained in terms of a functional interference of these areas in the choice of care, but not of food. Further, we postulate that the increased RT of avoidant individuals may reflect a more articulated choice process.
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5
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Diamond LM, Alley J. Rethinking minority stress: A social safety perspective on the health effects of stigma in sexually-diverse and gender-diverse populations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104720. [PMID: 35662651 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
For over two decades, the minority stress model has guided research on the health of sexually-diverse individuals (those who are not exclusively heterosexual) and gender-diverse individuals (those whose gender identity/expression differs from their birth-assigned sex/gender). According to this model, the cumulative stress caused by stigma and social marginalization fosters stress-related health problems. Yet studies linking minority stress to physical health outcomes have yielded mixed results, suggesting that something is missing from our understanding of stigma and health. Social safety may be the missing piece. Social safety refers to reliable social connection, inclusion, and protection, which are core human needs that are imperiled by stigma. The absence of social safety is just as health-consequential for stigmatized individuals as the presence of minority stress, because the chronic threat-vigilance fostered by insufficient safety has negative long-term effects on cognitive, emotional, and immunological functioning, even when exposure to minority stress is low. We argue that insufficient social safety is a primary cause of stigma-related health disparities and a key target for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Diamond
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
| | - Jenna Alley
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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6
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Wang B, Peng X, Gao F, Zhang K, Zhang J, Wu L. Attachment Security Priming Delayed Negative Information-Related Attentional Disengagement Among Anxiously Attached Individuals: Evidence From Behavioral and Functional MRI Experiments. Front Psychol 2022; 13:913805. [PMID: 35756230 PMCID: PMC9218902 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.913805] [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: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although attachment security has been found to attenuate people’s experience of unpleasant information, how it modulates the attentional process toward such information remains unknown. The present study examined this issue by employing the dot-probe task in functional MRI. After completing the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised questionnaire (ECR-R), 39 participants were asked to complete the dot-probe task in two conditions: the attachment security priming condition and neutral priming condition. The behavioral results revealed that individuals with high level of attachment anxiety exhibited larger attention disengagement from negative traits in the security priming condition than in the control condition. Correspondingly, the brain regions involved in attention regulation and shifting, such as the posterior cingulate and bilateral parietal area, were less activated among high anxiously attached individuals in the security priming condition. These results suggest a role of attachment security priming in regulating the emotional response in anxiously attached individuals during the attentional stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beiyi Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyuan Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Kaihua Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Jianxin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lili Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Gustison ML, Phelps SM. Individual differences in social attachment: A multi-disciplinary perspective. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12792. [PMID: 35170839 PMCID: PMC8916993 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Social behavior varies across both individuals and species. Research to explain this variation falls under the purview of multiple disciplines, each with its own theoretical and empirical traditions. Integration of these disciplinary traditions is key to developing a holistic perspective. Here, we review research on the biology of social attachment, a phenomena in which individuals develop strong affective connections to one another. We provide a historical overview of research on social attachment from psychological, ethological and neurobiological perspectives. As a case study, we describe work on pair-bonding in prairie voles, a socially monogamous rodent. This specific topic takes advantage of many biological perspectives and techniques to explain social bonds. Lastly, we conclude with an overview of multi-dimensional conceptual frameworks that can be used to explain social phenomena, and we propose a new framework for research on individual variation in attachment behavior. These conceptual frameworks originate from philosophy, physics, ethology, cognitive science and neuroscience. The application and synthesis of such frameworks offers a rich opportunity to advance understanding of social behavior and its mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L. Gustison
- Department of Integrative BiologyThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | - Steven M. Phelps
- Department of Integrative BiologyThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
- Institute for NeuroscienceThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
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8
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Yaakobi E. Avoidant individuals are more affected by ostracism attribution. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PERSONALITY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2021.104184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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9
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Ma Y, Chen J, Liu G, Chen X. Insecurity primes influence attentional processing of infant emotions: the role of attachment styles. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-019-00520-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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10
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Gruda D, Kafetsios K. I Need a Doctor, Call Me a Doctor: Attachment and the Evaluation of General Practitioners before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:7914. [PMID: 34360207 PMCID: PMC8345344 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18157914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Attachment is a system of threat regulation, and insecure (anxious and avoidant) attachment orientations are important individual difference antecedents to the cognitive and affective attributions of trait inferences. However, little is known about how threat-related contexts, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, influence attachment-related socio-cognitive schemas. Using an experimental research design across two independent samples of 330 (pre-onset of COVID-19) and 233 (post-onset of COVID-19) participants, we tested whether attachment orientations influenced general practitioner (GP) ratings and selection differently pre- and post-onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, when presented with only negative information signals, avoidant individuals attributed positive ratings to GPs, with differing ratings as the number of positive signals increased. Differences between pre- and post-onset of the COVID-19 pandemic were less pronounced with regards to positive signals. We discuss these results in line with signal detection theory (SDT) and provide practical implications in response to our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dritjon Gruda
- School of Business, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, Ireland;
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11
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Maleki G, Mazaheri MA, Nejati V, Borhani K, Bosmans G. The Attachment-related picture set (ARPS): development and validation. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-01727-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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12
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Li S, Han S, Wang X, Guo Z, Gan Y, Zhang L. The influence of risk situation and attachment style on helping behavior: An attentional bias perspective. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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13
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Irak M, Soylu C, Güler B. Investigating the role of attachment orientation during emotional face recognition: An event-related potential study. Biol Psychol 2020; 156:107953. [PMID: 33002581 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2020.107953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) while anxious and avoidant participants performed an emotional face recognition task featuring happy and angry faces. The avoidant attachment individuals were more accurate on angry trials, whereas anxious attachment individuals were more accurate on happy trials. FN400 amplitude was larger in the anxious attachment group than in the avoidant attachment group. Both groups produced larger N170 amplitudes in response to angry faces. However, happy faces evoked shorter N170 latencies in the anxious attachment group while angry faces evoked shorter N170 latencies in the avoidant group. Our results demonstrate that the processing of emotional stimuli differs between individuals with anxious and avoidant attachment styles. These differences start at early stages of stimulus processing and yield perceptual biases in the two attachment orientations. This appears to underlie differences in the later stage of recognition of emotional stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Metehan Irak
- Bahcesehir University, Department of Psychology Brain and Cognition Research Laboratory, Ciragan Cad. No. 4 Besiktas, 34353 İstanbul, Turkey.
| | - Can Soylu
- Bahcesehir University, Department of Psychology Brain and Cognition Research Laboratory, Ciragan Cad. No. 4 Besiktas, 34353 İstanbul, Turkey.
| | - Berna Güler
- Bahcesehir University, Department of Psychology Brain and Cognition Research Laboratory, Ciragan Cad. No. 4 Besiktas, 34353 İstanbul, Turkey.
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14
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Color perception influences attention processing in females with different attachment styles. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-018-0123-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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15
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Luo Y, Liu C, Zheng L, Chen X. Attachment and autobiographical memory retrieval: Event-related potential evidence from strategic information processing. Conscious Cogn 2020; 83:102980. [PMID: 32645690 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2020.102980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This article presents two studies using event-related potentials combined with an autobiographical memory (AM) retrieval task and a lexical judge task to explore differences in AM retrieval among differently attached individuals and to further explore whether the source of these differences is the schematic information processing mode or strategic information processing mode. The effectiveness of the information processing mode is also studied. The results revealed that differences in the AM extraction of different attachment styles were due to the strategic information processing mode, while no differences were found in the schematic information processing used by individuals with different attachment styles. Further, the strategic information processing used by the securely attached group was more flexible and efficient than that used by the insecurely attached group; moreover, the strategic information processing mode used by the avoidantly attached group was more stable and consistent than that used by the anxiously attached group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadan Luo
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China; Research Center of Mental Health Education, SouthWest University, Chongqing,400715, China
| | - Chen Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China; Research Center of Mental Health Education, SouthWest University, Chongqing,400715, China
| | - Leying Zheng
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China; Research Center of Mental Health Education, SouthWest University, Chongqing,400715, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China; Research Center of Mental Health Education, SouthWest University, Chongqing,400715, China.
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16
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Ma Y, Ma H, Chen X. Security priming improves attentional processing to infant emotions among insecurely attached women: The different roles of supraliminal and subliminal priming. Neuropsychologia 2019; 134:107216. [PMID: 31580880 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In two ERP experiments, we examined the attention-related mechanism involved in perceiving infant emotions following exposure to security priming. Specifically, we examined how security priming affected securely and insecurely attached women. We found that both supraliminal and subliminal security priming resulted in increased attention allocation in anxiously and avoidantly attached women but had no effect on securely attached women. Moreover, we also found that supraliminal and subliminal security priming differed in their effectiveness in increasing attention allocation among anxiously and avoidantly attached women. Supraliminal security priming were more effective for anxiously attached women, whereas subliminal security priming were more effective for avoidantly attached women. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanxiao Ma
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Haijing Ma
- Department of Communication, The University of OKlahoma, Oklahoma City, 73019, United States
| | - Xu Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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17
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Zhang X, Ran G, Xu W, Ma Y, Chen X. Adult Attachment Affects Neural Response to Preference-Inferring in Ambiguous Scenarios: Evidence From an fMRI Study. Front Psychol 2018; 9:139. [PMID: 29559932 PMCID: PMC5845741 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are highly social animals, and the ability to cater to the preferences of other individuals is encouraged by society. Preference-inferring is an important aspect of the theory of mind (TOM). Many previous studies have shown that attachment style is closely related to TOM ability. However, little is known about the effects of adult attachment style on preferences inferring under different levels of certainty. Here, we investigated how adult attachment style affects neural activity underlying preferences inferred under different levels of certainty by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The fMRI results demonstrated that adult attachment influenced the activation of anterior insula (AI) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL) in response to ambiguous preference-inferring. More specifically, in the ambiguous preference condition, the avoidant attached groups exhibited a significantly enhanced activation than secure and anxious attached groups in left IPL; the anxious attached groups exhibited a significantly reduced activation secure attached group in left IPL. In addition, the anxious attached groups exhibited a significantly reduced activation than secure and avoidant attached groups in left AI. These results were also further confirmed by the subsequent PPI analysis. The results from current study suggest that, under ambiguous situations, the avoidant attached individuals show lower sensitivity to the preference of other individuals and need to invest more cognitive resources for preference-reasoning; while compared with avoidant attached group, the anxious attached individuals express high tolerance for uncertainty and a higher ToM proficiency. Results from the current study imply that differences in preference-inferring under ambiguous conditions associated with different levels of individual attachment may explain the differences in interpersonal interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guangming Ran
- Institute of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Wenjian Xu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuanxiao Ma
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Xu Chen,
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18
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Ma Y, Ma H, Chen X, Ran G, Zhang X. Do attachment patterns predict aggression in a context of social rejection? An executive functioning account. Aggress Behav 2017; 43:408-418. [PMID: 28168707 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
People tend to respond to rejection and attack with aggression. The present research examined the modulation role of attachment patterns on provoked aggression following punishment and proposed an executive functioning account of attachment patterns' modulating influence based on the General Aggression Model. Attachment style was measured using the Experiences in Close Relationships inventory. Experiments 1a and b and 2 adopted a social rejection task and assessed subsequent unprovoked and provoked aggression with different attachment patterns. Moreover, Experiment 1b and 2 used a Stroop task to examine whether differences in provoked aggression by attachment patterns are due to the amount of executive functioning following social rejection, or after unprovoked punishment, or even before social rejection. Anxiously attached participants displayed significant more provoked aggression than securely and avoidantly attached participants in provoked aggression following unprovoked punishment in Experiments 1 and 2. Meanwhile, subsequent Stroop tests indicated anxiously attached participants experienced more executive functioning depletion after social rejection and unprovoked aggression. The present findings support the General Aggression Model and suggest that provoked aggression is predicted by attachment patterns in the context of social rejection; different provoked aggression may depend on the degree of executive functioning that individuals preserved in aggressive situations. The current study contributes to our understanding of the importance of the role of attachment patterns in modulating aggressive behavior accompanying unfair social encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanxiao Ma
- Faculty of Psychology; Southwest University (SWU); Chongqing China
- Research Center of Mental Health Education; Southwest University (SWU); Chongqing China
| | - Haijing Ma
- School of Foreign Languages for Business; Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SWUFE); Chengdu China
| | - Xu Chen
- Faculty of Psychology; Southwest University (SWU); Chongqing China
- Research Center of Mental Health Education; Southwest University (SWU); Chongqing China
| | - Guangming Ran
- Institute of Education; China West Normal University; Nanchong China
| | - Xing Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology; Southwest University (SWU); Chongqing China
- Research Center of Mental Health Education; Southwest University (SWU); Chongqing China
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Ma Y, Ran G, Chen X, Ma H, Hu N. Adult Attachment Styles Associated with Brain Activity in Response to Infant Faces in Nulliparous Women: An Event-Related Potentials Study. Front Psychol 2017; 8:627. [PMID: 28484415 PMCID: PMC5399025 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult attachment style is a key for understanding emotion regulation and feelings of security in human interactions as well as for the construction of the caregiving system. The caregiving system is a group of representations about affiliative behaviors, which is guided by the caregiver's sensitivity and empathy, and is mature in young adulthood. Appropriate perception and interpretation of infant emotions is a crucial component of the formation of a secure attachment relationship between infant and caregiver. As attachment styles influence the ways in which people perceive emotional information, we examined how different attachment styles associated with brain response to the perception of infant facial expressions in nulliparous females with secure, anxious, and avoidant attachment styles. The event-related potentials of 65 nulliparous females were assessed during a facial recognition task with joy, neutral, and crying infant faces. The results showed that anxiously attached females exhibited larger N170 amplitudes than those with avoidant attachment in response to all infant faces. Regarding the P300 component, securely attached females showed larger amplitudes to all infant faces in comparison with avoidantly attached females. Moreover, anxiously attached females exhibited greater amplitudes than avoidantly attached females to only crying infant faces. In conclusion, the current results provide evidence that attachment style differences are associated with brain responses to the perception of infant faces. Furthermore, these findings further separate the psychological mechanisms underlying the caregiving behavior of those with anxious and avoidant attachment from secure attachment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanxiao Ma
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China.,Research Center of Mental Health Education, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Guangming Ran
- Institute of Education, China West Normal UniversityNanchong, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China.,Research Center of Mental Health Education, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Haijing Ma
- School of Foreign Languages for Business, Southwestern University of Finance and EconomicsChengdu, China
| | - Na Hu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China.,Research Center of Mental Health Education, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China
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20
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The processing of body expressions during emotional scenes: the modulation role of attachment styles. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44740. [PMID: 28303949 PMCID: PMC5356188 DOI: 10.1038/srep44740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
There is broad evidence indicating that contextual information influence the processing of emotional stimuli. However, attachment theory suggests that attachment styles contribute to the ways in which people perceive emotional events. To shed light on whether the processing of body expressions during different emotional scenes is modulated by attachment styles, attachment-related electrophysiological differences were measured using event-related potentials. For avoidantly attached group, our results suggested that larger N170 amplitudes were educed by neutral bodies than angry bodies, which was found only in neutral scene. Moreover, significant differences were found in P300 amplitudes in response to angry bodies compared with neutral ones only during angry scene. However, securely and anxiously attached individuals were associated with larger P300 amplitudes in response to angry bodies versus neutral ones in both emotional scenes. The current study highlights the characteristics of cognitive processing of attachment styles on body expressions during different emotional scenes, with the variation of N170 and P300 amplitude in different emotional scenes as the best example.
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Kungl MT, Leyh R, Spangler G. Attachment Representations and Brain Asymmetry during the Processing of Autobiographical Emotional Memories in Late Adolescence. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 10:644. [PMID: 28082880 PMCID: PMC5183619 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontal and parietal asymmetries have repeatedly been shown to be related to specific functional mechanisms involved in emotion regulation. From a developmental perspective, attachment representations based on experiences with the caregiver are theorized to serve regulatory functions and influence how individuals deal with emotionally challenging situations throughout the life span. This study aimed to investigate neural substrates of emotion regulation by assessing state- and trait dependent EEG asymmetries in secure, insecure-dismissing and insecure-preoccupied subjects. The sample consisted of 40 late adolescents. The Adult Attachment Interview was administered and they were asked to report upon personally highly salient emotional memories related to anger, happiness and sadness. EEG was recorded at rest and during the retrieval of each of these emotional memories, and frontal and parietal hemispheric asymmetry were analyzed. We found attachment representations to differentially affect both the frontal and parietal organization of hemispheric asymmetry at rest and (for parietal region only) during the retrieval of emotional memories. During rest, insecure-dismissing subjects showed an elevated right-frontal brain activity and a reduced right-parietal brain activity. We interpret this finding in light of a disposition to use withdrawal strategies and low trait arousal in insecure-dismissing subjects. Emotional memory retrieval did not affect frontal asymmetry. However, both insecure groups showed an increase in right-sided parietal activity indicating increased arousal during the emotional task as compared to the resting state suggesting that their emotion regulation capability was especially challenged by the retrieval of emotional memories while securely attached subjects maintained a state of moderate arousal. The specific neurophysiological pattern of insecure-dismissing subjects is discussed with regard to a vulnerability to affective disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie T Kungl
- Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rainer Leyh
- Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gottfried Spangler
- Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Erlangen, Germany
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22
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Szymanska M, Monnin J, Noiret N, Tio G, Galdon L, Laurent E, Nezelof S, Vulliez-Coady L. The Besançon Affective Picture Set-Adolescents (the BAPS-Ado): Development and validation. Psychiatry Res 2015; 228:576-84. [PMID: 26163722 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.04.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2014] [Revised: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Emotional pictures are commonly used as visual stimuli in a number of research fields. Choosing relevant visual stimuli to induce emotion is fundamental in attachment and affective research. Attachment theory provides a theoretical basis for the understanding of emotional and relational problems, and is especially related to two specific emotions: distress and comfort. The lack of normalized visual stimuli soliciting these attachment-related emotions has led us to create and validate a new photographic database: the Besançon Affective Picture Set-Adolescents. This novel stimulus set is composed of 93 photographs, divided into four categories: distress, comfort, joy-complicity and neutral. A group of 140 adolescents rated the pictures with the Self-Assessment Manikin system, yielding three dimensions: valence, emotional arousal, and dominance. The pictures were also assessed, using a continuous scale, for different emotions (distress, hate, horror, comfort, complicity and joy). The ANOVAs for arousal and the Kruskal-Wallis tests for valence and dominance showed strong effects for category. However, for comfort and complicity, the dimensions of valence and dominance were not significantly different, while results for arousal showed no significant difference between complicity and distress. Our study provides a tool that allows researchers to select visual stimuli to investigate attachment-related emotion processing in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Szymanska
- EA 481 Laboratory of Integrative and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Franche-Comté Besançon, France.
| | - Julie Monnin
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France; EA 481 Laboratory of Integrative and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Franche-Comté Besançon, France; Clinical Investigation Center CIC 808, INSERM, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France
| | - Nicolas Noiret
- EA 3188 Laboratory of Psychology, University of Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Grégory Tio
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France; Clinical Investigation Center CIC 808, INSERM, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France
| | - Lucie Galdon
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France
| | - Eric Laurent
- EA 3188 Laboratory of Psychology, University of Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Sylvie Nezelof
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France; EA 481 Laboratory of Integrative and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Franche-Comté Besançon, France
| | - Lauriane Vulliez-Coady
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France; EA 481 Laboratory of Integrative and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Franche-Comté Besançon, France
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23
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Gander M, Buchheim A. Attachment classification, psychophysiology and frontal EEG asymmetry across the lifespan: a review. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 9:79. [PMID: 25745393 PMCID: PMC4333768 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years research on physiological response and frontal electroencephalographic (EEG) asymmetry in different patterns of infant and adult attachment has increased. We review research findings regarding associations between attachment classifications and frontal EEG asymmetry, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA). Studies indicate that insecure attachment is related to a heightened adrenocortical activity, heart rate and skin conductance in response to stress, which is consistent with the hypothesis that attachment insecurity leads to impaired emotion regulation. Research on frontal EEG asymmetry also shows a clear difference in the emotional arousal between the attachment groups evidenced by specific frontal asymmetry changes. Furthermore, we discuss neurophysiological evidence of attachment organization and present up-to-date findings of EEG-research with adults. Based on the overall patterns of results presented in this article we identify some major areas of interest and directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Gander
- Institute of Psychology, University of InnsbruckInnsbruck, Austria
| | - Anna Buchheim
- Institute of Psychology, University of InnsbruckInnsbruck, Austria
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24
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The effects of facial attractiveness and perceiver's mate value on adaptive allocation of central processing resources. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2013.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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25
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Escobar MJ, Rivera-Rei A, Decety J, Huepe D, Cardona JF, Canales-Johnson A, Sigman M, Mikulan E, Helgiu E, Baez S, Manes F, Lopez V, Ibañez A. Attachment patterns trigger differential neural signature of emotional processing in adolescents. PLoS One 2013; 8:e70247. [PMID: 23940552 PMCID: PMC3733979 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2013] [Accepted: 06/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Research suggests that individuals with different attachment patterns process social information differently, especially in terms of facial emotion recognition. However, few studies have explored social information processes in adolescents. This study examined the behavioral and ERP correlates of emotional processing in adolescents with different attachment orientations (insecure attachment group and secure attachment group; IAG and SAG, respectively). This study also explored the association of these correlates to individual neuropsychological profiles. Methodology/Principal Findings We used a modified version of the dual valence task (DVT), in which participants classify stimuli (faces and words) according to emotional valence (positive or negative). Results showed that the IAG performed significantly worse than SAG on tests of executive function (EF attention, processing speed, visuospatial abilities and cognitive flexibility). In the behavioral DVT, the IAG presented lower performance and accuracy. The IAG also exhibited slower RTs for stimuli with negative valence. Compared to the SAG, the IAG showed a negative bias for faces; a larger P1 and attenuated N170 component over the right hemisphere was observed. A negative bias was also observed in the IAG for word stimuli, which was demonstrated by comparing the N170 amplitude of the IAG with the valence of the SAG. Finally, the amplitude of the N170 elicited by the facial stimuli correlated with EF in both groups (and negative valence with EF in the IAG). Conclusions/Significance Our results suggest that individuals with different attachment patterns process key emotional information and corresponding EF differently. This is evidenced by an early modulation of ERP components’ amplitudes, which are correlated with behavioral and neuropsychological effects. In brief, attachments patterns appear to impact multiple domains, such as emotional processing and EFs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alvaro Rivera-Rei
- Laboratory of Cognitive and Social Neuroscience (LaNCyS), UDP-INECO Foundation Core on Neuroscience (UIFCoN), Diego Portales University, Santiago, RM, Chile
| | - Jean Decety
- Department of Psychology and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - David Huepe
- Laboratory of Cognitive and Social Neuroscience (LaNCyS), UDP-INECO Foundation Core on Neuroscience (UIFCoN), Diego Portales University, Santiago, RM, Chile
| | - Juan Felipe Cardona
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), INECO (Institute of Cognitive Neurology) and Institute of Neuroscience, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina
| | - Andres Canales-Johnson
- Laboratory of Cognitive and Social Neuroscience (LaNCyS), UDP-INECO Foundation Core on Neuroscience (UIFCoN), Diego Portales University, Santiago, RM, Chile
- Medical Research Council (MRC), Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Mariano Sigman
- Departamento de Física, FCEN, Universidad de Buenos Aires and IFIBA, CONICET, Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina
- Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina
| | - Ezequiel Mikulan
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), INECO (Institute of Cognitive Neurology) and Institute of Neuroscience, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina
| | - Elena Helgiu
- College of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sandra Baez
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), INECO (Institute of Cognitive Neurology) and Institute of Neuroscience, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina
| | - Facundo Manes
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), INECO (Institute of Cognitive Neurology) and Institute of Neuroscience, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina
| | - Vladimir Lopez
- Escuela de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, RM, Chile
| | - Agustín Ibañez
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), INECO (Institute of Cognitive Neurology) and Institute of Neuroscience, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina
- Laboratory of Cognitive and Social Neuroscience (LaNCyS), UDP-INECO Foundation Core on Neuroscience (UIFCoN), Diego Portales University, Santiago, RM, Chile
- * E-mail:
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