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This project will investigate the variation of emotional distraction across psychopathic traits. We will use a computer-based emotional distraction paradigm to measure the interference caused by emotionally valenced and neutral images on individuals' performance in a letter detection task. We will measure psychopathic traits (Fearless Dominance, Self-centred Impulsivity, Coldheartedness) using the PPI-R-40.

Most studies on emotion processing induce emotions through images or films. However, this method lacks ecological validity, limiting generalization to real-life emotion processing. More realistic paradigms using virtual reality (VR) may be better suited to investigate authentic emotional states and their neuronal correlates. This pre-registered study examines the neuronal underpinnings of naturalistic fear, measured using mobile electroencephalography (EEG). Seventy-five healthy participants walked across a virtual plank which extended from the side of a skyscraper—either 80 storey up (the negative condition) or at street level (the neutral condition). Subjective ratings showed that the negative condition induced feelings of fear. Following the VR experience, participants passively viewed negative and neutral images from the international affective picture system (IAPS) outside of VR. We compared frontal alpha asymmetry between the plank and IAPS task and across valence of the conditions. Asymmetry indices in the plank task revealed greater right-hemispheric lateralization during the negative VR condition, relative to the neutral VR condition and to IAPS viewing. Within the IAPS task, no significant asymmetries were detected. In summary, our findings indicate that immersive technologies such as VR can advance emotion research by providing more ecologically valid ways to induce emotion.

Examining the relationship between stress and updating of belief in false scientific claims. Participants will complete a three-part online study through the Prolific interface. First, approximately 700 participants will be invited to complete a screening survey which asks them to rate their belief in several true and false scientific claims, including two critical myths of interest: (1) contentious myth: “the immune systems of young children can be overwhelmed by multiple vaccines given in a single session”, and (2) non-contentious myth: “people have different learning styles (either auditory, visual or kinesthetic), and learn best when information is tailored to their particular learning style”. Participants who endorse the critical myths will be invited to participate in follow up sessions. The second session will run at least 24hours after the screening survey has finished. In session 2 participants (N = 300), will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions to compare different types of corrections on belief updating: (1) ‘refutation’: participants read passages that explicitly mention and correct the myths; (2) ‘simple correction’: participants read passages that correct the myths without mentioning them; (3) ‘baseline’: participants read passages that are about a scientific phenomenon unrelated to the critical myths. Participants will also complete questionnaires that measure stress. Approximately one-week later participants will complete the final session. In this session, they will rate their belief in the same true and false scientific claims as the screening survey (including our critical myths of interest). We are interested in (1) the effect of correction type on belief in contentious and non-contentious myths; and (2) whether stress moderates these effects.

Most studies on emotion processing induce emotions through images or films. However, this method lacks ecological validity, limiting generalization to real-life emotion processing. More realistic paradigms using virtual reality (VR) may be better suited to investigate authentic emotional states and their neuronal correlates. This pre-registered study examines the neuronal underpinnings of naturalistic fear, measured using mobile electroencephalography (EEG). Seventy-five healthy participants walked across a virtual plank which extended from the side of a skyscraper—either 80 storey up (the negative condition) or at street level (the neutral condition). Subjective ratings showed that the negative condition induced feelings of fear. Following the VR experience, participants passively viewed negative and neutral images from the international affective picture system (IAPS) outside of VR. We compared frontal alpha asymmetry between the plank and IAPS task and across valence of the conditions. Asymmetry indices in the plank task revealed greater right-hemispheric lateralization during the negative VR condition, relative to the neutral VR condition and to IAPS viewing. Within the IAPS task, no significant asymmetries were detected. In summary, our findings indicate that immersive technologies such as VR can advance emotion research by providing more ecologically valid ways to induce emotion.

Examining the relationship between trust in scientists and the updating of misinformed beliefs in response to different types of corrections. Participants completed an online survey as a part of an international multi-lab collaboration exploring trust in science and science related popularism. Immediately following the international survey (i.e., participants perceived it to be a part of the same study), a subset of 500 NZ based participants completed a short additional task designed to compare the effectiveness of two different types of corrections on belief change for a myth about vaccinations – that “the immune systems of young children can be overwhelmed by multiple vaccines given in a single session”. First, participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions that contained different passages to read (1) ‘refutation’: participants read a passage that explicitly mentioned and corrected the myth; (2) ‘control’: participants read a passage that corrected the myth without mentioning it; (3) ‘baseline’: participants read a passage that provided information about an unrelated phenomenon (rain droplets). After reading the passage, participants rated their belief in several true and false scientific claims, including our critical myth of interest. We were interested in (1) the effect of correction type on belief in the myth; and (2) whether trust in scientists moderates these effects.

Most studies on emotion processing induce emotions through images or films. However, this method lacks ecological validity, limiting generalization to real-life emotion processing. More realistic paradigms using virtual reality (VR) may be better suited to investigate authentic emotional states and their neuronal correlates. This pre-registered study examines the neuronal underpinnings of naturalistic fear, measured using mobile electroencephalography (EEG). Seventy-five healthy participants walked across a virtual plank which extended from the side of a skyscraper—either 80 storey up (the negative condition) or at street level (the neutral condition). Subjective ratings showed that the negative condition induced feelings of fear. Following the VR experience, participants passively viewed negative and neutral images from the international affective picture system (IAPS) outside of VR. We compared frontal alpha asymmetry between the plank and IAPS task and across valence of the conditions. Asymmetry indices in the plank task revealed greater right-hemispheric lateralization during the negative VR condition, relative to the neutral VR condition and to IAPS viewing. Within the IAPS task, no significant asymmetries were detected. In summary, our findings indicate that immersive technologies such as VR can advance emotion research by providing more ecologically valid ways to induce emotion.

Most studies on emotion processing induce emotions through images or films. However, this method lacks ecological validity, limiting generalization to real-life emotion processing. More realistic paradigms using virtual reality (VR) may be better suited to investigate authentic emotional states and their neuronal correlates. This pre-registered study examines the neuronal underpinnings of naturalistic fear, measured using mobile electroencephalography (EEG). Seventy-five healthy participants walked across a virtual plank which extended from the side of a skyscraper—either 80 storey up (the negative condition) or at street level (the neutral condition). Subjective ratings showed that the negative condition induced feelings of fear. Following the VR experience, participants passively viewed negative and neutral images from the international affective picture system (IAPS) outside of VR. We compared frontal alpha asymmetry between the plank and IAPS task and across valence of the conditions. Asymmetry indices in the plank task revealed greater right-hemispheric lateralization during the negative VR condition, relative to the neutral VR condition and to IAPS viewing. Within the IAPS task, no significant asymmetries were detected. In summary, our findings indicate that immersive technologies such as VR can advance emotion research by providing more ecologically valid ways to induce emotion.

Most studies on emotion processing induce emotions through images or films. However, this method lacks ecological validity, limiting generalization to real-life emotion processing. More realistic paradigms using virtual reality (VR) may be better suited to investigate authentic emotional states and their neuronal correlates. This pre-registered study examines the neuronal underpinnings of naturalistic fear, measured using mobile electroencephalography (EEG). Seventy-five healthy participants walked across a virtual plank which extended from the side of a skyscraper—either 80 storey up (the negative condition) or at street level (the neutral condition). Subjective ratings showed that the negative condition induced feelings of fear. Following the VR experience, participants passively viewed negative and neutral images from the international affective picture system (IAPS) outside of VR. We compared frontal alpha asymmetry between the plank and IAPS task and across valence of the conditions. Asymmetry indices in the plank task revealed greater right-hemispheric lateralization during the negative VR condition, relative to the neutral VR condition and to IAPS viewing. Within the IAPS task, no significant asymmetries were detected. In summary, our findings indicate that immersive technologies such as VR can advance emotion research by providing more ecologically valid ways to induce emotion.

The pre-registered study will examine the influence of fear on proactive and reactive control as measured using the AX-Continuous Performance Test (AX-CPT). To induce fear, immersive virtual reality will be used (specifically a virtual heights scenario). Physiological and subjective measures will also be collected alongside behavioural data.

Most studies on emotion processing induce emotions through images or films. However, this method lacks ecological validity, limiting generalization to real-life emotion processing. More realistic paradigms using virtual reality (VR) may be better suited to investigate authentic emotional states and their neuronal correlates. This pre-registered study examines the neuronal underpinnings of naturalistic fear, measured using mobile electroencephalography (EEG). Seventy-five healthy participants walked across a virtual plank which extended from the side of a skyscraper—either 80 storey up (the negative condition) or at street level (the neutral condition). Subjective ratings showed that the negative condition induced feelings of fear. Following the VR experience, participants passively viewed negative and neutral images from the international affective picture system (IAPS) outside of VR. We compared frontal alpha asymmetry between the plank and IAPS task and across valence of the conditions. Asymmetry indices in the plank task revealed greater right-hemispheric lateralization during the negative VR condition, relative to the neutral VR condition and to IAPS viewing. Within the IAPS task, no significant asymmetries were detected. In summary, our findings indicate that immersive technologies such as VR can advance emotion research by providing more ecologically valid ways to induce emotion.

Effect of fear on attentional control. Participants completed a flanker task in virtual reality, while standing on a virtual plank suspended high over a city street, or at street level. Congruency effect was compared to baseline performance in each group.

Eprime files for running the experiment.

This project seeks to further the understanding of cognitive differences in psychopathic individuals. There is evidence to suggest that highly psychopathic individuals are better able to ignore distractors compared to non-psychopathic individuals. There are two separate theories on psychopathy that can explain this effect. An attention deficit view of psychopathy suggests highly psychopathic people have a limited amount of attentional resources so are less affected by distraction that are not task-relevant (that is, their reduced attentional capacity makes them less susceptible to distraction) therefore giving them an advantage in ignoring peripheral distractors compared to non-psychopathic individuals. An emotion deficit view of psychopathy suggests people with high ratings of psychopathy are not sensitive to specifically negative emotional cues. Stimuli that elicit an emotional response are typically distracting but because highly psychopathic people are not sensitive to negative valence, they should not be distracted by negative stimuli, but should still be distracted by positive stimuli. The current project uses emotional distractors to disentangle the two theories about psychopathic personality and understand emotional distraction in this personality trait.

This study will examine how knowledge of upcoming negative and neutral distractors influences attentional control.

Please email hazel.godfrey@vuw.ac.nz for the password.

Experiment assessing whether selection history could alter selective attention in such a way as to reduce the capture of attention by emotional and neutral distractors

The spread of "fake news" is a serious threat to personal and societal well-being. In this study we consider the role of attention in evaluating news posts about Covid-19. Although belief in misinformation may be tied to one's political beliefs and social networks, recent evidence also supports a classical decision-making framework in which the ability to discriminate between true and false news depends on the availability of cognitive resources to engage System 2 critical thinking. If so, people should be less able to distinguish between true and false news when they are distracted.

This study will examine how symbolic reward and distractor predictability influence distraction by irrelevant negative or neutral stimuli.