1
|
Negative and Positive Bias for Emotional Faces: Evidence from the Attention and Working Memory Paradigms. Neural Plast 2021; 2021:8851066. [PMID: 34135956 PMCID: PMC8178010 DOI: 10.1155/2021/8851066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual attention and visual working memory (VWM) are two major cognitive functions in humans, and they have much in common. A growing body of research has investigated the effect of emotional information on visual attention and VWM. Interestingly, contradictory findings have supported both a negative bias and a positive bias toward emotional faces (e.g., angry faces or happy faces) in the attention and VWM fields. We found that the classical paradigms-that is, the visual search paradigm in attention and the change detection paradigm in VWM-are considerably similar. The settings of these paradigms could therefore be responsible for the contradictory results. In this paper, we compare previous controversial results from behavioral and neuroscience studies using these two paradigms. We suggest three possible contributing factors that have significant impacts on the contradictory conclusions regarding different emotional bias effects; these factors are stimulus choice, experimental setting, and cognitive process. We also propose new research directions and guidelines for future studies.
Collapse
|
2
|
Howarth ER, Kemp C, Thatcher HR, Szott ID, Farningham D, Witham CL, Holmes A, Semple S, Bethell EJ. Developing and validating attention bias tools for assessing trait and state affect in animals: A worked example with Macaca mulatta. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
|
3
|
The stability and reliability of attentional bias measures in the dot-probe task: Evidence from both traditional mean bias scores and trial-level bias scores. MOTIVATION AND EMOTION 2020; 44:657-669. [PMID: 33551518 DOI: 10.1007/s11031-020-09834-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
A new method of calculating attentional bias from the dot-probe task measures fluctuations in bias towards and away from emotional stimuli over time using trial level bias score metrics. We assessed the stability and reliability of traditional attentional bias scores and trial level bias score measures of attentional bias across time in two five-block dot-probe task experiments in non-clinical samples. In experiments 1 and 2, both traditional attentional bias scores and trial level bias score measures of attentional bias did not habituate/decrease across time. In general, trial level bias score metrics (i.e., attention bias variability as well as the mean biases toward and away from threat) were more reliable than the traditional attention bias measure. This pattern was observed across both experiments. The traditional bias score, however, did improve in reliability in the later blocks of the fearful face dot-probe task. Although trial level bias score measures did not habituate and were more reliable across blocks, these measures did not correlate with state or trait anxiety. On the other hand, trial level bias score measures were strongly correlated with general reaction time variability-and after controlling for this effect no longer superior in reliability in comparison to the traditional attention bias measure. We conclude that general response variability should be removed from trial level bias score measures to ensure that they truly reflect attention bias variability.
Collapse
|
4
|
Yang Y, Wang C, Li X, Yu R, Zhang M, Xue M, Guo W, He L, Gao X, Gong P. The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism impacts moral permissibility of impersonal harmful behaviors. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 14:911-918. [PMID: 31506681 PMCID: PMC6847979 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsz060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Inspired by the roles of serotonin in an emotional aversion to harmful actions, we examined to what extent serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT)–linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), a proxy for measuring serotonin function, underpinned the individual differences in moral judgment through cross-sectional analysis and two-wave comparison. The cross-sectional analysis with a larger cohort (N = 1197) showed that the SS carriers of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism, corresponding to the low ratio of serotonin recycling from the synaptic cleft, rated impersonal harmful actions (e.g. flipping a switch to divert a train to hit one person instead of five people) as more permissible as compared with the L-allele carriers. The two-wave comparison with a subsample from the larger cohort (N = 563) indicated that the association between 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and moral permissibility of impersonal harmful actions was stable from wave 1 to wave 2. Thus, these findings highlight the importance of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism to harmful moral behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yafang Yang
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Chunlan Wang
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaohan Li
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Rongjun Yu
- Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117570
| | - Mengfei Zhang
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Mengying Xue
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Wenxuan Guo
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Linlin He
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaocai Gao
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Pingyuan Gong
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China.,College of Medicine, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China.,Institute of Population and Health, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
|
6
|
Weber MA, Morrow KA, Rizer WS, Kangas KJ, Carlson JM. Sustained, not habituated, activity in the human amygdala: A pilot fMRI dot-probe study of attentional bias to fearful faces. COGENT PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/23311908.2016.1259881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Millicent A. Weber
- Department of Psychology, Northern Michigan University, 1401 Presque Isle Avenue, Marquette, MI 49855, USA
| | - Kelly A. Morrow
- Department of Psychology, Northern Michigan University, 1401 Presque Isle Avenue, Marquette, MI 49855, USA
| | - Will S. Rizer
- Department of Psychology, Northern Michigan University, 1401 Presque Isle Avenue, Marquette, MI 49855, USA
| | - Keara J. Kangas
- Department of Psychology, Northern Michigan University, 1401 Presque Isle Avenue, Marquette, MI 49855, USA
| | - Joshua M. Carlson
- Department of Psychology, Northern Michigan University, 1401 Presque Isle Avenue, Marquette, MI 49855, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Isbell E, Stevens C, Hampton Wray A, Bell T, Neville HJ. 5-HTTLPR polymorphism is linked to neural mechanisms of selective attention in preschoolers from lower socioeconomic status backgrounds. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2016; 22:36-47. [PMID: 27837677 PMCID: PMC6987652 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2016.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2016] [Revised: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
While a growing body of research has identified experiential factors associated with differences in selective attention, relatively little is known about the contribution of genetic factors to the skill of sustained selective attention, especially in early childhood. Here, we assessed the association between the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotypes and the neural mechanisms of selective attention in young children from lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during a dichotic listening task from 121 children (76 females, aged 40-67 months), who were also genotyped for the short and long allele of 5-HTTLPR. The effect of selective attention was measured as the difference in ERP mean amplitudes elicited by identical probe stimuli embedded in stories when they were attended versus unattended. Compared to children homozygous for the long allele, children who carried at least one copy of the short allele showed larger effects of selective attention on neural processing. These findings link the short allele of the 5-HTTLPR to enhanced neural mechanisms of selective attention and lay the groundwork for future studies of gene-by-environment interactions in the context of key cognitive skills.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elif Isbell
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Greensboro, NC, 27412, United States.
| | - Courtney Stevens
- Willamette University, Department of Psychology, 900 State Street, Salem, OR 97301, United States
| | - Amanda Hampton Wray
- Michigan State University, Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, 1026 Red Cedar Rd., East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Theodore Bell
- University of Oregon, Department of Psychology, 1227 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, United States
| | - Helen J Neville
- University of Oregon, Department of Psychology, 1227 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Gibb BE, McGeary JE, Beevers CG. Attentional biases to emotional stimuli: Key components of the RDoC constructs of sustained threat and loss. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171B:65-80. [PMID: 26369836 PMCID: PMC5664953 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2015] [Accepted: 09/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Biased attention to emotional stimuli plays a key role in the RDoC constructs of Sustained Threat and Loss. In this article, we review approaches to assessing these biases, their links with psychopathology, and the underlying neural influences. We then review evidence from twin and candidate gene studies regarding genetic influences on attentional biases. We also discuss the impact of developmental and environmental influences and end with a number of suggestions for future research in this area.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - John E. McGeary
- Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center
- Division of Behavioral Genetics, Rhode Island Hospital
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Barry TJ, Vervliet B, Hermans D. An integrative review of attention biases and their contribution to treatment for anxiety disorders. Front Psychol 2015. [PMID: 26217284 PMCID: PMC4495309 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Models of exposure therapy, one of the key components of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders, suggest that attention may play an important role in the extinction of fear and anxiety. Evidence from cognitive research suggests that individual differences may play a causal role in the onset and maintenance of anxiety disorders and so it is also likely to influence treatment. We review the evidence concerning attention and treatment outcomes in anxiety disorders. The evidence reviewed here suggests that that attention biases assessed at pre-treatment might actually predict improved response to treatment, and in particular that prolonged engagement with threat as measured in tasks such as the dot probe is associated with greater reductions in anxious symptoms following treatment. We examine this research within a fear learning framework, considering the possible role of individual differences in attention in the extinction of fear during exposure. Theoretical, experimental and clinical implications are discussed, particularly with reference to the potential for attention bias modification programs in augmenting treatment, and also with reference to how existing research in this area might inform best practice for clinicians.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tom J Barry
- Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bram Vervliet
- Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk Hermans
- Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Brain dopaminergic system related genetic variability interacts with target/mask timing in metacontrast masking. Neuropsychologia 2015; 71:112-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2014] [Revised: 02/21/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
|
11
|
Lundqvist D, Juth P, Öhman A. Using facial emotional stimuli in visual search experiments: The arousal factor explains contradictory results. Cogn Emot 2013; 28:1012-29. [DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2013.867479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|