Neural responses to partner rejection cues.
Little is known about neural responses in the early automatic-stage processing of rejection cues from a partner. Event-related potentials (ERPs) offer a window to study processes that may be difficult to detect via behavioral methods. We focused on the N400 ERP component, which reflects the amount of semantic processing prompted by a target. When participants were primed by attachment-related contexts ("If I need help from my partner, my partner will be ..."), rejection-related words (e.g., dismissing) elicited greater N400 amplitudes than acceptance-related words (e.g., supporting). Analyses of results for nonattachment primes suggest that these findings were not simply caused by target valence; the brain responds differentially to cues of partner rejection (vs. acceptance) in under 300 ms. Moreover, these early-stage neurophysiological responses were heightened or dampened as a function of individuals' adult attachment; women characterized by high anxiety and low avoidance showed the greatest N400 responses to cues of partner rejection (vs. acceptance).
Zayas
Vivian
V
Department of Psychology, Cornell University, 240 Uris Hall, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA. vz29@cornell.edu
Shoda
Yuichi
Y
Mischel
Walter
W
Osterhout
Lee
L
Takahashi
Melissa
M
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology; D009769:Object Attachment; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012059:Rejection, Psychology; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult