The present study was designed to address two primary aims, which build upon our prior findings. Our first aim was to replicate the finding that higher SA symptoms are associated with a heightened Memory Bias for Error Events, doing so within the context of a larger, independent sample and while employing a more robust memory assessment approach. Specifically, we replaced the "old/new" recognition task used in our prior study with a two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) recognition paradigm. Our second aim was to determine whether a heightened Memory Bias for Error Events in high SA individuals is specific to socially-relevant stimuli present during error events, or if this effect generalizes to non-social stimuli. To address both aims, we employed a between-subjects design in which 140 participants completed a modified Flanker task featuring either trial-unique face (social stimuli) or inanimate object (non-social stimuli) as background images, followed by a surprise 2AFC recognition memory task.
Social anxiety (SA) is a highly prevalent and debilitating condition characterized by an intense fear of social interactions that significantly impairs interpersonal relationships and occupational functioning (American Psychiatric Association, 2022; Kessler et al., 2005; Morrison & Heimberg, 2013). Despite the high prevalence of SA, treatment effects remain modest (Carpenter et al., 2018; Hoyer et al., 2016), underscoring the need to identify mechanistic targets. Research shows SA and related symptoms are associated with enhanced error monitoring (Barker et al., 2015; Endrass et al., 2014; Hosseini et al., 2024; Judah et al., 2016; Kujawa et al., 2016; Meyer et al., 2021; Niu et al., 2023), which refers to the detection and processing of self-committed errors (Gehring et al., 1993). However, the causal nature of associations between SA symptoms and error monitoring remains unclear. In line with cognitive models of SA (Clark & Wells, 1995; Rapee & Heimberg, 1997), we have proposed that the link between error monitoring and SA may be cyclical: enhanced error monitoring in SA drives memory biases for error events, strengthening negative beliefs about one’s abilities and ultimately maintaining or worsening SA (Hosseini et al., 2024). Our prior study provided initial evidence by linking greater SA symptoms to an increased memory bias for error events (Hosseini et al., 2024). However, our previous work was limited in terms of sample size and did not test whether the memory bias was specific to social stimuli for high SA individuals. In an effort to advance theory and inform the design of novel treatments for SA, the current study sought to close these gaps.
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Student Lead | Kianoosh Hosseini |
| PI | George A. Buzzell |
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