Fears of Positive versus Negative Evaluation: Distinct and Conjoint Neuroendocrine, Emotional, and Cardiovascular Responses to Social Threat

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Fear of evaluation in general is important in social anxiety, including fear of positive evaluation (FPE) and fear of negative evaluation (FNE). The present study examined various FPE- and FNE-associated state responses (i.e., affective, cardiovascular, and neuroendocrine) to an impromptu speech task which integrated simultaneous and systematic delivery of positive and negative social threat cues (n = 100 [unselected]). Both FPE and FNE related positively to state anxiety and heart rate changes from anticipation of the speech to during the speech itself, and these effects were partly conjoint and partly unique. Furthermore, high FPE alone was associated with dampened cortisol in response to the speech task in contrast to a more normative, robust response to social threat. Last, consistent with hypothesis and prior findings, state anxiety during the speech mediated the relationship between trait FPE and state disqualification of positive social outcomes (a mental safety behavior for FPE-related state anxiety). These results further inform upon the commonalities and distinctions between these two socio-evaluative fears. Implications for the theoretical conceptualization and treatment of social anxiety are discussed.