Electrophysiological evidence for sensitization effects elicited by concurrent social threats
Abstract Experiencing a social threat, such as social exclusion, is a painful event. In contrast to previous studies providing insight into the processing of a single short-termed threat, we exposed healthy individuals to the simultaneous onset of different social threats. This approach allowed us t...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39456-0 |
| _version_ | 1827890442883039232 |
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| author | Michael Niedeggen Xu Fang Yu-Fang Yang Rudolf Kerschreiter |
| author_facet | Michael Niedeggen Xu Fang Yu-Fang Yang Rudolf Kerschreiter |
| author_sort | Michael Niedeggen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Experiencing a social threat, such as social exclusion, is a painful event. In contrast to previous studies providing insight into the processing of a single short-termed threat, we exposed healthy individuals to the simultaneous onset of different social threats. This approach allowed us to track whether these threats are processed independently—or whether they interact in a common system. Using a virtual ball-throwing game (Cyberball), electrophysiological (event-related brain potentials, ERPs) and behavioral (self-reports) responses were collected. We assigned undergraduates to three experimental groups: single threat exclusion (n = 24), single threat loss of control (n = 26), and joint onset of both threats (dual-threat, n = 25). Self-reports indicated an increase in threats (i.e., in perceived exclusion and loss-of-control) in the latter group. The ERPs disentangled the neural responses to each threat: In the dual-threat group, the amplitudes of the P3 responses to exclusionary and intervention events were enhanced. This indicates that individuals are sensitized to each of the threats when the other threat is present simultaneously. Our findings support the theoretical notion of a common cognitive system responding to violations in subjective expectations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:09:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f5938c9a2244a2ba1fdf89707511027 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:09:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f5938c9a2244a2ba1fdf897075110272023-07-30T11:14:11ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-07-0113111210.1038/s41598-023-39456-0Electrophysiological evidence for sensitization effects elicited by concurrent social threatsMichael Niedeggen0Xu Fang1Yu-Fang Yang2Rudolf Kerschreiter3Division of Experimental Psychology and Neuropsychology, Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität BerlinDivision of Experimental Psychology and Neuropsychology, Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität BerlinDivision of Experimental Psychology and Neuropsychology, Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität BerlinDivision of Social, Organizational, and Economic Psychology, Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität BerlinAbstract Experiencing a social threat, such as social exclusion, is a painful event. In contrast to previous studies providing insight into the processing of a single short-termed threat, we exposed healthy individuals to the simultaneous onset of different social threats. This approach allowed us to track whether these threats are processed independently—or whether they interact in a common system. Using a virtual ball-throwing game (Cyberball), electrophysiological (event-related brain potentials, ERPs) and behavioral (self-reports) responses were collected. We assigned undergraduates to three experimental groups: single threat exclusion (n = 24), single threat loss of control (n = 26), and joint onset of both threats (dual-threat, n = 25). Self-reports indicated an increase in threats (i.e., in perceived exclusion and loss-of-control) in the latter group. The ERPs disentangled the neural responses to each threat: In the dual-threat group, the amplitudes of the P3 responses to exclusionary and intervention events were enhanced. This indicates that individuals are sensitized to each of the threats when the other threat is present simultaneously. Our findings support the theoretical notion of a common cognitive system responding to violations in subjective expectations.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39456-0 |
| spellingShingle | Michael Niedeggen Xu Fang Yu-Fang Yang Rudolf Kerschreiter Electrophysiological evidence for sensitization effects elicited by concurrent social threats Scientific Reports |
| title | Electrophysiological evidence for sensitization effects elicited by concurrent social threats |
| title_full | Electrophysiological evidence for sensitization effects elicited by concurrent social threats |
| title_fullStr | Electrophysiological evidence for sensitization effects elicited by concurrent social threats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Electrophysiological evidence for sensitization effects elicited by concurrent social threats |
| title_short | Electrophysiological evidence for sensitization effects elicited by concurrent social threats |
| title_sort | electrophysiological evidence for sensitization effects elicited by concurrent social threats |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39456-0 |
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