The Influence Of Different Emotions On Self Referential Processing Forthe Individuals With Cognitive Vulnerability To Depression

"Self' and "Emotion" have always been the hot topics in psychological research.They have important influence on each other,especially for the study of depression related individuals.Based on previous studies,event related potential(ERPs)was used to investigate the effects of different emotions on self reference processing for the individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression.To reveal the mechanism between self processing and emotional processing for the individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression.There were two experiments in this study.The experiments one used images priming paradigm with ERPs technology,the first presented emotional pictures,and then presented self reference stimulus.By comparison the normal individuals and the individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression on the similarities and differences of self reference processing,to investigate the effect of positive emotion on the self referential processing of the individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression.It was found that,(1)Compared with the normal individuals,the individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression evoked smaller EEG amplitude when processing the self referential stimulus;(2)On the average amplitude of P2,compared with the normal individuals,the self referential processing of the individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression is not affected by positive emotional valence(positive and neutral).But when the normal individuals processing self reference stimulus,the neutral pictures priming condition induced greater P2 amplitude than the positive condition.(3)On the average amplitude of N2,compared with the normal individuals,there was no significant difference in the individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression have processed the different self reference stimuli under the positive pictures priming condition.But the normal individuals processing self name induced smaller N2 amplitude than acquaintance name under the positive pictures priming condition.(4)On the average amplitude of P3,compared with the normal individuals,the individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression have a lower degree of refinement in self referential processing under the positive pictures priming condition than neutral pictures priming condition,it was only found that the self name induced the greater P3 amplitude than father's name and acquaintance name under the positive pictures priming condition.However,the self reference processing of the normal individualsunder the positive pictures priming condition was better than the neutral conditions.That is,under the positive pictures priming condition,self name induced the greater P3 amplitude than father's name and acquaintance name,father's name induced the greater P3 amplitude than acquaintance name.The experiment two also used the images priming paradigm and ERPs technology,in which present emotional images and then to present self-reference stimulus.By comparison the normal individuals and the individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression on the similarities and differences of self reference processing,to investigate the effect of negative emotion on the self referential processing of the individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression.It was found that,(1)Compared with the normal individuals,the individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression evoked smaller EEG amplitude when processing the self referential stimulus;(2)The individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression processing the self reference stimuli related to negative emotions,in the anterior part of the scalp(F3,Fz,F4)and the central front of the scalp(FC3,FCz,FC4)that evoked larger EEG amplitude;(3)On the average amplitude of P3,compared with the normal individuals,the individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression processing the self referenced stimulus under the negative pictures priming condition induced greater P3 amplitude than the neutral picture condition.However,the self reference processing of the normal individuals is not affected by these two kinds of emotional valence;The experimental results showed that different emotional(positive and negative)stimuli had different effects on the individuals with cognitive vulnerability.Positive emotion weakens the self referential processing of the individuals with cognitive vulnerability.it may suggest that the individuals with cognitive vulnerability are insensitive to the processing of positive emotional stimuli,and there is a positive lack of self illustration.The negative emotion enhanced the self referential processing of the individuals with cognitive vulnerability,It may suggest that negative cognitive bias exists in the individuals with cognitive vulnerability,and it is easy to associate negative emotions with self.