Reinforcement sensitivity and social anxiety in combat veterans

Abstract

Objective The present study tested the hypothesis that low behavioral approach system (BAS) sensitivity is associated with social anxiety in combat veterans. Method Self-report measures of reinforcement sensitivity, combat exposure, social interaction anxiety, and social observation anxiety were administered to 197 Iraq/Afghanistan combat veterans. Results As expected, combat exposure, behavioral inhibition system (BIS) sensitivity, and fight-flight-freeze system (FFFS) sensitivity were positively associated with both social interaction anxiety and social observation anxiety. In contrast, BAS sensitivity was negatively associated with social interaction anxiety only. An analysis of the BAS subscales revealed that the Reward Responsiveness subscale was the only BAS subscale associated with social interaction anxiety. BAS-Reward Responsiveness was also associated with social observation anxiety. Conclusion The findings from the present research provide further evidence that low BAS sensitivity may be associated with social anxiety over and above the effects of BIS and FFFS sensitivity.

The Role of Motivation Systems, Anxiety, and Low Self-Control in Smartphone Addiction among Smartphone-Based Social Networking Service (SNS) Users

“…Perhaps other subcomponents of BAS, drive and fun-seeking, play a more dominant role in explaining smartphone-based SNS users’ underlying motivation of approaching behaviors. However, our result deviated from previous literature that identified the positive relationships between the reward responsiveness and addictive smartphone use [ 5 ], anxiety [ 66 ], or self-control [ 67 ]. Future research should investigate more clear relationships between BAS_reward responsiveness and other psychological variables.…”

Approach/avoidance personality traits as predictors of psychopathology in convicted offenders

“…Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and interpersonal sensitivity (an aspect of social anxiety) can only be predicted by high BIS activity, which is in line with Gray's predictions (1991). Certain previous findings have also implicated the BAS and FFFS in social anxiety (Kimbrel et al, 2016;Kramer et al, 2015), however they were based on unidimensional BAS measures and a multidimensional FFFS measure.…”

“…However an underactive BAS has been associated with depression disorder onset, course severity and treatment outcome (Zinbarg & Yoon, 2008). Social anxiety can also be predicted by high BIS/low BAS activity (Kimbrel, Mitchell, & Nelson-Gray, 2010), as well as by high FFFS sensitivity (Kimbrel et al, 2016;Kramer, Rodriguez, & Kertz, 2015). Obsessive-compulsive symptoms have been further linked to higher BIS activation (Bijttebier et al, 2009).…”

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“…De esta forma, el trastorno de conducta se ha asociado ampliamente con déficits en el control cognitivo, evaluación de retroalimentación e inhibición conductual y en el aumento de la impulsividad (Kimbrel et al, 2016). Así, la retroalimentación de ganancia y pérdida estará asociada al SAC y al SIC, y por ello, en los trastornos de la conducta se puede determinar que los niños o adolescentes presentan un sistema de inhibición menos sensible, impidiendo la generación de un sistema de referencia de control conductual más eficaz en términos de dirigir la conducta para evitar los castigos (Gao et al, 2015).…”