Conscious Awareness Research Articles

Memory, trauma, and self: Remembering and recovering from sexual abuse in psychedelic-assisted therapy

AbstractBackground and AimsThis article examines the therapeutic potential of psilocybin in addressing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as the result of sexual abuse. PTSD is a prevalent form of mental distress resistant to most conventional treatment methods.MethodsThrough an in-depth analysis of the narratives of two individuals with longstanding, treatment-resistant mental health conditions, who participated in a weeklong group-based psychedelic retreat involving psilocybin, the study unveils the intricate interplay between psychedelic-assisted therapy, memory, and narrative in the healing process.ResultsThe research findings suggest that beyond the commonly acknowledged therapeutic effects of psychedelic drugs, psilocybin can facilitate the retrieval of repressed or forgotten traumatic memories, allowing for conscious awareness, recognition, and reconciliation. A noteworthy aspect of the healing progression observed is the re-narration of one's identity and biographical circumstances following the recovery of unresolved traumatic memories.ConclusionsThis study underscores the importance of memory and self-narrative in the therapeutic landscape of psychedelic-assisted therapy for trauma. The article concludes by advocating for continued exploration in future research regarding the complex dynamics of memory and self-narrative in the healing journey within psychedelic science and trauma studies.

The Creative Awareness Theory: A Grounded Theory Study of Inherent Self-Regulation in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine why and how adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience variable impairment and identify the processes and strategies adults with ADHD use to develop positive self-regulation skills. Methods: A mixed cohort of 11 participants (6 female and 5 male) from a university, an adult ADHD clinic and an ADHD support group in the UK were interviewed online between September 2021 and February 2022. Data were collected and analysed simultaneously, inspired by a constructivist grounded theory methodology. Results: Participants described a “polar awareness of difference” from others in terms of engagement and ADHD characteristics, and a “polar awareness of consciousness” experienced as the states of chaotic attention and hyperfocus, both of which impact core perceptions of self. Using an infinity paradigm, the results demonstrate unskilled attempts to self-regulate within and between these states using self-absorption or self-transcendence strategies, including their inherent challenges and energetic cost. Our results further indicate that at the centre of this dynamic paradigm, creative awareness strategies exist, which exemplify polarity awareness and the regulation of that awareness supported by an authentic inner compass (AIC). Conclusions: This paper presents the empirical foundation for the ADHD Creative Awareness Theory (CAT)—a new theory for understanding the experience of ADHD consciousness and environmental engagement. Practical implications are explored, and recommendations include use of the CAT as a framework for understanding and development of inherent self-regulation skills for adults with ADHD.

Shared subcortical arousal systems across sensory modalities during transient modulation of attention.

Subcortical arousal systems are known to play a key role in controlling sustained changes in attention and conscious awareness. Recent studies indicate that these systems have a major influence on short-term dynamic modulation of visual attention, but their role across sensory modalities is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated shared subcortical arousal systems across sensory modalities during transient changes in attention using block and event-related fMRI paradigms. We analyzed massive publicly available fMRI datasets collected while 1,561 participants performed visual, auditory, tactile, and taste perception tasks. Our analyses revealed a shared circuit of subcortical arousal systems exhibiting early transient increases in activity in midbrain reticular formation and central thalamus across perceptual modalities, as well as less consistent increases in pons, hypothalamus, basal forebrain, and basal ganglia. Identifying these networks is critical for understanding mechanisms of normal attention and consciousness and may help facilitate subcortical targeting for therapeutic neuromodulation.

Unintentional nonsuicidal self-injury in an adolescent with perfectionism

Nonsuicidal self-injury typically involves deliberate harm without suicidal intent; however, rare cases exist where self-injury occurs unintentionally, without conscious awareness. This report presents the case of a 16-year-old boy who exhibited unintentional self-harm during sleep, associated with severe academic stress and perfectionism. Despite psychological and medical interventions, the behavior persisted until academic stress was alleviated. This case highlights the need for a differentiated clinical approach to managing unintentional self-harm, emphasizing the importance of stress management and psychological support in adolescents to address the underlying emotional and behavioral triggers.

Dynamical structure-function correlations provide robust and generalizable signatures of consciousness in humans

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging evolves through a repertoire of functional connectivity patterns which might reflect ongoing cognition, as well as the contents of conscious awareness. We investigated whether the dynamic exploration of these states can provide robust and generalizable markers for the state of consciousness in human participants, across loss of consciousness induced by general anaesthesia or slow wave sleep. By clustering transient states of functional connectivity, we demonstrated that brain activity during unconsciousness is dominated by a recurrent pattern primarily mediated by structural connectivity and with a reduced capacity to transition to other patterns. Our results provide evidence supporting the pronounced differences between conscious and unconscious brain states in terms of whole-brain dynamics; in particular, the maintenance of rich brain dynamics measured by entropy is a critical aspect of conscious awareness. Collectively, our results may have significant implications for our understanding of consciousness and the neural basis of human awareness, as well as for the discovery of robust signatures of consciousness that are generalizable among different brain conditions.

Assessing processing-based measures of implicit statistical learning: Three serial reaction time experiments do not reveal artificial grammar learning.

Implicit statistical learning, whereby predictable relationships between stimuli are detected without conscious awareness, is important for language acquisition. However, while this process is putatively implicit, it is often assessed using measures that require explicit reflection and conscious decision making. Here, we conducted three experiments combining an artificial grammar learning paradigm with a serial reaction time (SRT-AGL) task, to measure statistical learning of adjacent and nonadjacent dependencies implicitly, without conscious decision making. Participants viewed an array of six visual stimuli and were presented with a sequence of three auditory (nonsense words, Expt. 1; names of familiar objects, Expt. 2) or visual (abstract shapes, Expt. 3) cues and were asked to click on the corresponding visual stimulus as quickly as possible. In each experiment, the final stimulus in the sequence was predictable based on items earlier in the sequence. Faster responses to this predictable final stimulus compared to unpredictable stimuli would provide evidence of implicit statistical learning, without requiring explicit decision making or conscious reflection. Despite previous positive results (Christiansen et al. 2009 and Misyak et al. 2010) we saw little evidence of implicit statistical learning in any of the experiments, suggesting that in this case, these SRT-AGL tasks were not an effective measure implicit statistical learning.

Episodic memory without autonoetic consciousness.

Ever since Tulving's influential 1985 article 'Memory and consciousness', it has become traditional to think of autonoetic consciousness as necessary for episodic memory. This paper questions this claim. Specifically, it argues that the construct of autonoetic consciousness lacks validity and that, even if it was valid, it would still not be necessary for episodic memory. The paper ends with a proposal to go back to a functional/computational characterization of episodic memory in which its characteristic phenomenology is a contingent feature of the retrieval process and, as a result, open to empirical scrutiny. The proposal also dovetails with recent taxonomies of memory that are independent of conscious awareness and suggests strategies to evaluate within- and between-individual variability in the conscious experience of episodic memories in human and non-human agents. This article is part of the theme issue 'Elements of episodic memory: lessons from 40 years of research'.

Relationships Among Secondary Traumatic Stress, Mindfulness, Compassion Satisfaction, and Compassion Fatigue in Psychiatric Nurses.

To examine relationships among secondary traumatic stress, mindfulness, compassion satisfaction, and compassion fatigue in psychiatric nurses. Participants comprised 142 nurses working in two psychiatric hospitals in the same province of Turkey. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction subscales of the Professional Quality of Life Scale. A significant and negative correlation was found between secondary traumatic stress, mindfulness, and compassion satisfaction, and between mindfulness and compassion fatigue. A significant and positive correlation was found between secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue, as well as between mindfulness and compassion satisfaction (p < 0.05). Findings demonstrate that mindfulness may be a protective factor in preventing secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue in psychiatric nurses. It is recommended that in-service training be organized periodically to increase levels of conscious awareness among psychiatric nurses. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.].

Mental processes in professional football players.

Clear connections have been found between mental processes and performance in elite level football. Yet, few studies have investigated how professional football players' experience the influence of mental processes on performance. This study used a qualitative research design and in-depth interview of six Norwegian professional football players at elite level with a mean age of 28, 3 years and represented five professional clubs. The aim of the study was to investigate how they perceived the importance of arousal regulation, mental toughness, and self-confidence, and that of the sport psychologist in developing these skills. The results revealed a complex and multifaceted link between mental processes and performance. All players, demonstrate a conscious awareness of how mental processes influence their performance. The use of a sport psychologist in working with mental processes emerges as a crucial factor for developing their mental skills. Another important aspect is the need for increased knowledge about mental training's effect in elite football. Mental toughness emerges as the most significant mental process for players' performance because it makes them capable of coping with challenging situations and periods. This study shows that mental processes are important for performing, both related to arousal regulation, and self-confidence, and especially mental toughness. However, mental toughness was also considered a product of age and experience, where older players tend to have experience of more situations that enable them to handle adversity better than younger players. Interestingly, the youngest players seem to be most aware of the use of a sports psychologist.

Positive Energy Districts: Fundamentals, Assessment Methodologies, Modeling and Research Gaps

The definition, characterization and implementation of Positive Energy Districts is crucial in the path towards urban decarbonization and energy transition. However, several issues still must be addressed: the need for a clear and comprehensive definition, and the settlement of a consistent design approach for Positive Energy Districts. As emerged throughout the workshop held during the fourth edition of Smart and Sustainable Planning for Cities and Regions Conference (SSPCR 2022) in Bolzano (Italy), further critical points are also linked to the planning, modeling and assessment steps, besides sustainability aspects and stakeholders’ involvement. The “World Café” methodology adopted during the workshop allowed for simple—but also effective and flexible—group discussions focused on the detection of key PED characteristics, such as morphologic, socio-economic, demographic, technological, quality-of-life and feasibility factors. Four main work groups were defined in order to allow them to share, compare and discuss around five main PED-related topics: energy efficiency, energy flexibility, e-mobility, soft mobility, and low-carbon generation. Indeed, to properly deal with PED challenges and crucial aspects, it is necessary to combine and balance these technologies with enabler factors like financing instruments, social innovation and involvement, innovative governance and far-sighted policies. This paper proposes, in a structured form, the main outcomes of the co-creation approach developed during the workshop. The importance of implementing a holistic approach was highlighted: it requires a systematic and consistent integration of economic, environmental and social aspects directly connected to an interdisciplinary cross-sectorial collaboration between researchers, policymakers, industries, municipalities, and citizens. Furthermore, it was reaffirmed that, to make informed and reasoned decisions throughout an effective PED design and planning process, social, ecological, and cultural factors (besides merely technical aspects) play a crucial role. Thanks to the valuable insights and recommendations gathered from the workshop participants, a conscious awareness of key issues in PED design and implementation emerged, and the fundamental role of stakeholders in the PED development path was confirmed.

Interoceptive signals shape the earliest markers and neural pathway to awareness at the visual threshold

Variations in interoceptive signals from the baroreceptors (BRs) across the cardiac and respiratory cycle can modulate cortical excitability and so affect awareness. It remains debated at what stages of processing they affect awareness-related event-related potentials (ERPs) in different sensory modalities. We investigated the influence of the cardiac (systole/diastole) and the respiratory (inhalation/exhalation) phase on awareness-related ERPs. Subjects discriminated visual threshold stimuli while their electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, and respiration were simultaneously recorded. We compared ERPs and their intracranial generators for stimuli classified correctly with and without awareness as a function of the cardiac and respiratory phase. Cyclic variations of interoceptive signals from the BRs modulated both the earliest electrophysiological markers and the trajectory of brain activity when subjects became aware of the stimuli: an early sensory component (P1) was the earliest marker of awareness for low (diastole/inhalation) and a perceptual component (visual awareness negativity) for high (systole/exhalation) BR activity, indicating that BR signals interfere with the sensory processing of the visual input. Likewise, activity spread from the primary visceral cortex (posterior insula) to posterior parietal cortices during high and from associative interoceptive centers (anterior insula) to the prefrontal cortex during low BR activity. Consciousness is thereby resolved in cognitive/associative regions when BR is low and in perceptual centers when it is high. Our results suggest that cyclic fluctuations of BR signaling affect both the earliest markers of awareness and the brain processes underlying conscious awareness.

A double-blind trial of decoded neurofeedback intervention for specific phobias.

A new closed-loop functional magnetic resonance imaging method called multivoxel neuroreinforcement has the potential to alleviate the subjective aversiveness of exposure-based interventions by directly inducing phobic representations in the brain, outside of conscious awareness. The current study seeks to test this method as an intervention for specific phobia. In a randomized, double-blind, controlled single-university trial, individuals diagnosed with at least two (one target, one control) animal subtype-specific phobias were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive one, three, or five sessions of multivoxel neuroreinforcement in which they were rewarded for implicit activation of a target animal representation. Amygdala response to phobic stimuli was assessed by study staff blind to target and control animal assignments. Pretreatment to posttreatment differences were analyzed with a two-way repeated-measures anova. A total of 23 participants (69.6% female) were randomized to receive one (n = 8), three (n = 7), or five (n = 7) sessions of multivoxel neuroreinforcement. Eighteen (n = 6 each group) participants were analyzed for our primary outcome. After neuroreinforcement, we observed an interaction indicating a significant decrease in amygdala response for the target phobia but not the control phobia. No adverse events or dropouts were reported as a result of the intervention. Results suggest that multivoxel neuroreinforcement can specifically reduce threat signatures in specific phobia. Consequently, this intervention may complement conventional psychotherapy approaches with a nondistressing experience for patients seeking treatment. This trial sets the stage for a larger randomized clinical trial to replicate these results and examine the effects on real-life exposure. The now-closed trial was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with ID NCT03655262.

P49: Measuring the Unspoken: Development of Two Instruments to Assess Nursing Home Caregivers’ Implicit Associations with Behaviors to Improve Residents’ Mood

Background: Within nursing home care, the role of professional caregivers is paramount. While certain caregiver behaviors, such as personal attention, can positively affect residents’ mood, limited attention has been given to the automatic cognitive processes guiding these behaviors. Automatic cognitive processes refer to mental operations that occur rapidly and effortlessly, often beyond conscious awareness. These processes can impact habits and preferences, thereby influencing behavior.Objective: This study aimed to develop and evaluate two pictorial Implicit Association Tasks(IATs) to measure nursing home caregivers’ implicit associations with mood-improving behaviors for residents, focusing on implicit valence (liking) and motivation (wanting) regarding these behaviors.Methods: Study 1 (N = 41) involved developing the Valence towards Behaviors to improve residents’ Mood IAT (VBM-IAT) and the Motivation for Behaviors to improve residents’ Mood IAT (MBM-IAT), and evaluating the content validity of target stimuli representing mood-improving behaviors. Study 2 (N = 230) examined stimulus classification ease (accuracy and speed) for both target and attribute stimuli (representing positive or negative valence, and motivation or demotivation). Additionally, the IATs’ internal consistency was examined. A sub- sample (N = 111) examined test-retest reliability, convergent validity (with self-reported attitude towards depression, altruism, and mood-improving behaviors), and divergent validity (against social desirability).Results: Content validity was satisfactory (CVI: ≥ .85). Error rates were acceptable for attribute stimuli (4.0%), but above the accepted limit of 10% for target stimuli (12.4%). All stimuli exhibited prolonged response times exceeding the desirable 800 ms threshold. The VBM-IAT and MBM-IAT demonstrated good internal consistency (rsb: .81; .85, respectively) but poor test-retest reliability (ICC: .29; .25). Mixed model analysis showed that both IATs correlated with altruism (estimated effect: .28, 95% CI [.11, .45]; .24 [.07, .42]). The VBM-IAT related to self- reported mood-improving behaviors (.20 [.03,.36]), while the MBM-IAT associated with the behavioral subscale of attitude towards depression (.21 [.03, .39]). The IATs did not significantly correlate with other scales.Conclusions: The IATs show potential in measuring caregivers’ implicit valence and motivation regarding behaviors to improve residents’ mood, offering an innovative pathway for investigating automatic cognitive processes in caregiving. However, some limitations in psychometric properties were identified, aligning with challenges in similar IATs.

"All we have to fear is fear itself": Paradigms for reducing fear by preventing awareness of it.

Research on unconscious fear responses has recently been translated into experimental paradigms for reducing fear that bypass conscious awareness of the phobic stimulus and thus do not induce distress. These paradigms stand in contrast to exposure therapies for anxiety disorders, which require direct confrontation of feared situations and thus are distressing. We systematically review these unconscious exposure paradigms. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-based search yielded 39 controlled experiments based on 10 paradigms that tested whether exposure without awareness can reduce fear-related responses. In randomized controlled trials of phobic participants, unconscious exposure interventions: (a) reduced behavioral avoidance (weighted mean d = 0.77, N = 469) and self-reported fear (d = 0.78, N = 329) during in vivo exposure to feared situations; (b) reduced neurobiological indicators of fear and enhanced such indicators of fear regulation (d = 0.81, N = 205); (c) had significantly stronger effects on reducing symptomatic behaviors and enhancing neurobiological indicators of fear regulation than did conscious exposure (d = 0.78, N = 342); and (d) produced these effects without inducing subjective fear. In fear-conditioned participants, unconscious exposureinduced extinction learning (d = 0.80, N = 420), even during sleep, and yielded somewhat stronger extinction learning than conscious exposure did (d = 0.44, N = 438). We organize these findings within a neuroscientific framework and evaluate alternative mechanisms for unconscious exposure. The use of incommensurate outcome measures across exposure paradigms and nonreporting of relevant statistics limited meta-analyses. Despite steps taken to address publication bias, 25.6% of included studies came from a single laboratory. We propose potential clinical applications of these findings. Future research should clarify underlying mechanisms, use common outcome measures, and explore effects on other anxiety disorders. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Suspect race affects defense attorney evaluations of preidentification evidence.

When an officer places a suspect in an identification procedure and the witness identifies the suspect, it falls on attorneys to make decisions that reflect the strength of that identification. The factor that most affects the strength of identification evidence is the likelihood that the suspect is guilty before being subjected to the procedure, which scholars refer to as the prior probability of guilt. Given large racial disparities in exonerations based on eyewitness misidentifications, the current work examined whether defense attorneys are less sensitive to prior evidence of guilt when the defendant is Black as opposed to White. We predicted that when the defendant's race was described as White rather than Black, attorneys' judgments would be more sensitive to variations in the evidence that would influence the base rate of guilt. We also predicted that attorneys would rate the case as stronger when the victim's race was described as White rather than Black. We gave 316 defense attorneys case files (modeled after the New York Police Department's style) that varied the strength of the preidentification evidence (strong vs. weak), the race of the defendant (Black vs. White), and the race of the victim (Black vs. White). Attorneys made judgments that were sensitive to the base rate of guilt, but self-report measures demonstrated that they did not understand the extent to which the base rate of guilt influences the reliability of eyewitness evidence. Participants also rated the strength of the preidentification evidence as stronger for Black than for White defendants. Although attorneys are intuitively sensitive to the strength of preidentification evidence, they lack conscious awareness of how a suspect's prior probability of guilt affects likelihood of a mistaken identification, which may have implications for their ability to make race-neutral evaluations of preidentification evidence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

What do medical students know about sustainable development?

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the level of sustainability consciousness (SC) and sustainable development (SD) awareness of medical students, as well as to identify the factors associated with them.Design/methodology/approachThis cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted among 1,435 medical students. The socio-demographic questionnaire and the sustainability consciousness questionnaire (SCQ-L) were the data collection instruments.FindingsA significant proportion of medical students had not heard of the concept of SD (63.6%), only 7.9% of the participants reported that they could define the SD concept. Female gender and good economic status were associated with significantly higher median SCQ-L total score (p = 0.001). Although all SD goals are closely related to health, almost half of the medical students reported no impact on SD. Besides, 47.8% of the medical students reported that physicians could have an active role in achieving SD.Social implicationsAs the realization of SD and health services are closely linked, it is important to examine the sustainability knowledge, attitude and behavior of health professionals.Originality/valueThis study examined the SD awareness and SC knowledge, attitude and behavior among medical students, the leading health-care professionals of the future.

The “virtual” child: The unconscious functions of child sexual exploitation material

AbstractThe narratives of individuals using child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) highlight the individual and unconscious functions of this type of sexual offense. Fluid cycles of projection into and identification with the children in the imagery were evident, as were marked differences in the intensity and exclusivity of pedophilic sexual preference. Anger was a common trigger, but conscious awareness of any associated hostilities toward the child in the imagery was vigorously defended against. The Internet, the now dominant context of child sexual abuse, offers a distinct type of environment, on the porous boundary between the internal and the external, that seems to encourage regression to early, varied paraphilic sexuality and part‐object relations. Interactions in online forums facilitated the projection of pedophilic interests and sadistic impulses into other users. Broad empirical findings on the characteristics of those who use CSEM, coupled with this study and clinical experience, suggest that many who engage in this activity have an essentially neurotic structure.

Exploring the dynamics of virtual value co-creation in tourism: an analysis of social factors, mindful approach, and technological stress over time

AbstractThis research aims to analyze the relationship between social factors (social comparison orientation, loneliness, emotional support, and instrumental support) and the quadratic effects of the mindful approach and technological stress in co-creating virtual value for the tourism sector. Using a dynamic structural equation model, we analyzed data collected from a cohort of 400 tourists who actively participated in virtual tourism services between 2011 and 2022. Using this methodology, we investigate the long-term correlations between different elements and their impact on participants' participation in virtual value co-creation. Our research indicates a distinct correlation between the mindful approach and virtual value co-creation, exhibiting a positive quadratic effect that gradually decreases, implying the necessity of consistent mindfulness practices in the face of technological stress. Interestingly, we also find that technological stress has a positive quadratic role over time. As people become more adept at technology and accustomed to it, its favorable effects on virtual value co-creation diminish. In the current scenario characterized by collaborative innovation and interaction through digital platforms, they are of great importance for companies, especially in adapting to new social dynamics characterized by new technologies. Using the Mindful Approach in the digital context becomes necessary, emphasizing mainly conscious awareness to optimize the level of commitment, increasing the results of interactions. On the other hand, new technologies in value co-creative processes increase concern about technological stresses, especially in exposure to these new environments over time. In this way, achieving more excellent stability between digital interaction and reducing potential stressors becomes a critical business strategy for sustaining collaboration dynamics over time, thus ensuring individuals’ well-being and maximizing the concretion processes’ positive impact at both the individual and social levels.

Psychedelic use and psychological flexibility: The role of meaningful intention and decentering

AbstractBackgroundPsychedelic use and its impact on well-being is garnering a lot of research attention, however, little has been done to understand the potential associations between multiple characteristics of the psychedelic experience and psychological flexibility (PF), which encompasses a conscious awareness of thoughts and behavior, allowing individuals to adapt to new experiences and perceive multiple explanations or solutions for life events.AimsThe current study examines the psychedelic correlates of PF. It was hypothesized that intention, comfort and safety during the experience, decentering, mystical experiences, ego-dissolution, and insight would be significantly associated with greater reports of PF.MethodsData used for the regression analysis were from 114 participants who had used one of the classic psychedelics (LSD, Psilocybin, Mescaline, DMT, Ayahuasca, 5MeO-DMT) and were recruited from postings on Twitter (now X) and within psychedelic-based groups on Facebook and Reddit to fill out an online survey. Standard assessments used include the Experiences Questionnaire, Mystical Experience Questionnaire, Ego-Dissolution Inventory, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, Psychological Insight Questionnaire, and Religious Salience Scale.ResultsAfter controlling for sociodemographics (age, income, religious salience, number of psychedelic experiences), self-perceived meaningful intention and decentering remained significantly associated with greater psychological flexibility.ConclusionsThese results expand upon existing literature on psychedelic use and its impact on well-being by exploring specific characteristics of the psychedelic experience. Understanding the importance of intention and decentering can provide a pathway by which psychedelic users, guides, and researchers can further understand the psychedelic experience and its effects.

Neural Correlates of the Attentional Bias Towards Subliminal Pornographic Cues in Individuals with Tendencies Toward Problematic Pornography Use: An ERP Study Using a Dot-Probe Task.

Attentional bias toward addiction-related stimuli has been implicated in the development and maintenance of addiction disorders. Several previous studies have reported an attentional bias toward pornographic cues in individuals with problematic pornography use (PPU). Since attentional bias can occur without conscious awareness, the purpose of this study was to use electroencephalography to examine whether individuals with a high tendency for PPU exhibit attentional bias at the level of the preconscious processing. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while male participants with high (n = 24) and low (n = 23) levels of subclinical PPU performed a masked version of the dot-probe task measuring attentional bias toward subliminally presented pornographic stimuli. Behavioral data revealed that participants from both groups with high and low tendencies for PPU reacted faster to probes replacing pornographic images than to probes replacing neutral images. ERPs revealed that individuals with a high tendency for PPU exhibited larger probe-locked P1 amplitudes following masked pornographic images (valid condition) compared with masked neutral images (invalid condition). Additionally, PPU symptom severity correlated positively with the P1 amplitude difference between valid and invalid conditions. These results highlight the automaticity of attentional capture by pornographic stimuli and support the hypothesis of an addiction-related attentional bias during preconscious processes. The implication of these findings for understanding the clinical phenomenon of out-of-control addictive behavior are discussed.