title: Temporal features of the degree effect in self-relevance: neural correlates.
abstract: The present study investigated neural correlates underlying the psychological processing of the extent of self-relevance. Event-related potentials were recorded for distracting names different in extent of self-relevance while subjects performed a three-stimulus oddball task. The results showed larger amplitudes and prolonged latencies for high self-relevant than for moderate self-relevant, low self-relevant and non-self-relevant names at P2 component. Furthermore, N2 amplitudes were decreased for the high self-relevant and moderate self-relevant names than for the low self-relevant and non-self-relevant names. Moreover, the high self-relevant names elicited larger positive deflections than the moderate self-relevant names which, in turn, elicited larger positive deflections than the low self-relevant and non-self-relevant names at both P3 and 440-540 ms intervals. Additionally, the peak latencies of P3 were prolonged during the high self-relevant and moderate self-relevant than during the low self-relevant and non-self-relevant conditions. Therefore, in addition to replicating the classic self-relevant effect, the present study extended previous studies by showing a clear self-relevant degree effect, with high self-relevant stimuli processed more preferentially in the brain relative to those low in self-relevance.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Southwest University 400715, China. lihong1@swu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jiajin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Tingyong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Antao
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Benbo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D044466:Asian People; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004532:Ego; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011932:Reading; D055815:Young Adult