Prediction and perception: Defensive startle modulation

Abstract

Previous research indicates that predictive cues can dampen subsequent defensive reactions. The present study investigated whether effects of cuing are specific to aversive stimuli, using modulation of the blink startle reflex as a measure of emotional reactivity. Participants viewed pictures depicting violence, romance/ erotica, or mundane content. On half of all trials, a cue (color) predicted the content of the upcoming picture; on the remaining trials, scenes were presented without a cue. Acoustic startle probes were presented during picture viewing on trials with predictive cues and trials without a cue. Replicating previous studies, blink reflexes elicited when viewing violent pictures that had not been preceded by a cue were potentiated compared to un-cued mundane scenes, and reflexes were attenuated when viewing scenes of erotica/ romance that had not been cued. On the other hand, reflex potentiation when viewing scenes of violence (relative to mundane scenes) was eliminated when these pictures were preceded by a predictive cue, whereas scenes of romance prompted reliable reflex attenuation regardless of whether pictures were cued or not. Taken together, the data suggest that cuing elicits an anticipatory coping process that is specific to aversive stimuli.

Cognitive reappraisal during unpleasant picture processing: Subjective self‐report and peripheral physiology

“…One possible explanation could be the methodological divergences in the experimental designs. Thus, presenting the cues during the several seconds before the picture might have attenuated the emotional response, as reported in previous work focused on anticipation (Sege, Bradley, & Lang, 2015), attenuating therefore the differences between nonregulation and voluntary decrease of negative emotions. Another plausible rationale for the lack of consistency could be the use of varying instructions for decreasing the negative emotions.…”

Thermographic eye tracking

“…Hamm and colleagues (1997) found that exposure to photos of feared objects potentiated startle blink reflex. Similarly, Sege et al (2015) showed that blink reflexes potentiated when aversive stimuli were viewed without a cue, compared to when mundane scenes were viewed without a cue. Results revealed that reflexes were attenuated when uncued romantic scenes were viewed.…”

“…Consistent with breathing responses during negative affective states, deeper breathing (e.g., sighing) was found during a mental arithmetic task, while more rapid shallow breathing was evident during an attention task. Eye blinks and respiratory variability have been used as measures not only for differentiating deceptive and truthful behaviors (Marchak, 2013;Seymour et al, 2012), but also for detecting stress levels and deducing emotional responses (Hamm et al, 1997;Sege et al, 2015). During these negative emotional states or under unexpected (Anthony & Graham, 1985), stressful conditions, the frequency of eye blinks may also vary.…”

“…In this paper we explore the feasibility of thermographic eye tracking, using thermal images to detect participants' eye movements and eye blinks. Eye movements and blinks have been used as measures for differentiating deceptive and truthful behaviors (Marchak, 2013;Seymour et al, 2012) and also for detecting stress levels and deducing emotional responses (Hamm et al, 1997;Sege et al, 2015). Extending thermographic imaging to eye tracking would provide additional knowledge regarding environmental triggers of emotional responses while augmenting the space of accessible biological markers.…”

Neurophysiology of predictable unpleasant event processing in pre‐adolescents and early adolescents, part II: Reflex and event‐related potential markers of defensive reactivity and peripheral attention modulation

“…In addition, an increase of probe P200 during scary‐ compared to everyday‐predicting cues suggests enhanced attentional registration of peripheral stimuli during aversive anticipation to go along with the enhanced defensive responding. Moving into the exposure window, downregulation of defensive response (startle) priming was then apparent during predictable aversive events for all grades—that is, the priming that arose when viewing unpredictable scary, compared to everyday, pictures disappeared when image content was made predictable (as also seen in adults; Sege et al., 2015). At the same time, probe ERPs were still modulated during predictable scary (relative to everyday) images, and this time reduced positivity in the P300 window was apparent (regardless of grade) as, again, has been observed in adults (see Schupp et al., 1997).…”