Abstract
Attention is biased towards threat-related stimuli. In three experiments we investigated the mechanisms, processes, and time course of this processing bias. An emotional flanker task simultaneously presented affective or neutral pictures from the IAPS database either as central response-relevant stimuli or surrounding response-uninformative flankers. Participants’ response times to central stimuli was measured. The attentional bias was observed when stimuli were presented either for 1500 ms (Experiment 1) or 500 ms (Experiment 2). The threat-related attentional bias held regardless of the stimuli competing for attention even when presentation time was further reduced to 200 ms (Experiment 3). The results indicate that automatic and controlled mechanisms may interact to modulate the orientation of attention to threat. The data presented here shed new light on the mechanisms, processes, and time course of this long investigated by still largely unknown processing bias.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 275-285 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Cognition and Emotion |
Volume | 32 |
Issue number | 2 |
Early online date | 14 Mar 2017 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 14 Mar 2017 |
Keywords
- Attention
- emotion
- flanker tasks
- threat-related attentional bias
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)