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Startle potentiation in aversive anticipation: Evidence for state but not trait effects
Author(s) -
Nitschke Jack B.,
Larson Christine L.,
Smoller Marian J.,
Navin Sarah D.,
Pederson Adrian J.C.,
Ruffalo Dante,
Mackiewicz Kristen L.,
Gray Shan M.,
Victor Elise,
Davidson Richard J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/1469-8986.3920254
Subject(s) - psychology , moro reflex , anticipation (artificial intelligence) , arousal , aversive stimulus , apprehension , startle response , valence (chemistry) , audiology , cognitive psychology , developmental psychology , reflex , neuroscience , artificial intelligence , computer science , medicine , physics , quantum mechanics
The present study was undertaken to determine whether aversiveness contributes to startle potentiation in anticipation of affective pictures above and beyond the effects of emotional arousal. Further, participants high in trait anxious apprehension, which is characterized by worry about the future, were expected to show especially pronounced anticipatory startle responses. Startle blink reflex was measured during warning stimuli that predicted the valence of ensuing aversive/unpleasant, pleasant, or neutral pictures. Startle magnitude was larger in anticipation of aversive than of pleasant pictures and smallest in anticipation of neutral pictures. Enhanced startle potentiation was not found in anxious apprehension subjects. These data suggest that the aversive nature of stimuli contribute to the potentiation of startle above and beyond the effects of emotional arousal, which may be a universal phenomenon not modulated by individual differences.