Expectancy and attention bias to spiders: dissecting anticipation and allocation processes using ERPs

Abstract

Studies suggest that there exists an interaction between a-priori expectancies and attention bias toward threat, as threat detection can override endogenous attention control driven by expectancy. Specifically, while expectancy influences the detection of neutral stimuli, it does not aid nor hinder the detection of spiders. The current study will focus on the temporal dynamics of the relationship between expectancy and attention toward threat, to better understand the mechanisms underlying the prioritization of threat detection. In the proposed event-related potentials (ERP) experiment we will manipulate a priori expectancy and measure attention bias, using a well-validated paradigm. To this aim, a visual search array will be presented, with one of two possible targets: spiders (threatening) or birds (neutral). A verbal cue stating the likelihood of encountering a target will precede the array, thus creating congruent and incongruent trials. Following cue presentation, preparatory processes will be examined using the contingent negative variation (CNV). Following target presentation, two components will be measured: early posterior negativity (EPN) and late positive potential (LPP), as these components reflect early and late stages of natural selective attention toward emotional stimuli, respectively. Based on our previous findings, we expect these components to reveal differences between: (1) spider and bird cues; (2) spider and bird targets; (3) congruent and incongruent trials