Abstract
RationaleFor visual perspective taking (VPT) using the avatar task, examinations of neural processes using event related potentials (ERP) indicate a distinction between an early posterior perspective calculation process (P3) and a later frontal process (LFSW) managing perspective conflict. While it is unknown if these neural processes are affected in clinical populations, it is unclear if the avatar task can be applied to this group, due to the long duration and sensitivity to data loss. Thus, we performed a methodological study of the avatar task, testing the feasibility of a shortened experimental paradigm. ObjectiveTo investigate whether previously reported behavioural and ERP effects in the avatar task can also be seen if analysing all trials (matching/non-matching) jointly, and whether they remain robust if only a subset of the data is analysed. MethodHealthy individuals (n = 20) completed the avatar task with ERP measurement. ERP components (P3, LFSW) and behavioural data were investigated by A) comparing use of only matching trials (n = 384) versus all trials (n = 768), and B) examining if reduced duration of assessment, by analysing only a subset of the data, impacts ERP findings. ResultsWe observed minimal differences when analysing data from only matching trial types compared to all trial types. Further, ERP amplitudes and latency findings were replicated when analysing only a subset of the data. ConclusionsThe duration of the avatar task can be reduced to avoid long testing times, thus making it better suited for use in clinical populations.
Highlights
The ability to understand that other individuals may perceive the environment differently from their perspective compared to our own is important for everyday social interactions
The overall objective of the present study is to investigate whether the avatar task with EEG recording can be adapted to studies of clinical populations
The study replicated previous behavioural and neurophysiological findings both when using all trials and when using only matching trials. These findings suggest that all trials can safely be included without eliminating any VisualPerspective Taking (VPT) effects, which can protect against data loss in future studies
Summary
The ability to understand that other individuals may perceive the environment differently from their perspective compared to our own is important for everyday social interactions. Research has suggested that processing of basic visual information, such as tracing someone else’s line of sight, may be related to implicit forms of mentalizing (Samson et al, 2010). This has been shown in a number of behavioural and neuroimaging studies, sometimes using paradigms that require long testing times and with suboptimal use of trial types, i.e. by excluding a substantial number of trials (Ferguson et al, 2018; McCleery et al, 2011). Methodological investigations of whether such mentalizing paradigms can be adapted to settings where shorter testing times are necessary, have been lacking
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