A1 Journal article (refereed)
Attentional bias towards interpersonal aggression in depression : an eye movement study (2021)


Rantanen, M., Hautala, J., Loberg, O., Nuorva, J., Hietanen, J. K., Nummenmaa, L., & Astikainen, P. (2021). Attentional bias towards interpersonal aggression in depression : an eye movement study. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 62(5), 639-647. https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12735


JYU authors or editors


Publication details

All authors or editorsRantanen, Matti; Hautala, Jarkko; Loberg, Otto; Nuorva, Jaakko; Hietanen, Jari K.; Nummenmaa, Lauri; Astikainen, Piia

Journal or seriesScandinavian Journal of Psychology

ISSN0036-5564

eISSN1467-9450

Publication year2021

Volume62

Issue number5

Pages range639-647

PublisherWiley-Blackwell

Publication countryUnited Kingdom

Publication languageEnglish

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12735

Publication open accessOpenly available

Publication channel open accessPartially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX)https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/75702


Abstract

Depressed individuals exhibit an attentional bias towards mood-congruent stimuli, yet evidence for biased processing of threat-related information in human interaction remains scarce. Here, we tested whether an attentional bias towards interpersonally aggressive pictures over interpersonally neutral pictures could be observed to a greater extent in depressed participants than in control participants. Eye movements were recorded while the participants freely viewed visually matched interpersonally aggressive and neutral pictures, which were presented in pairs. Across the groups, participants spent more time looking at neutral pictures than at aggressive pictures, probably reflecting avoidance behaviour. When the participants could anticipate the stimulus valence, depressed participants – but not controls – showed an early attentional bias towards interpersonally aggressive pictures, as indexed by their longer first fixation durations on aggressive pictures than on neutral pictures. Our results thus preliminarily suggest both an early attentional bias towards interpersonal aggression, which is present, in depressed participants, also when aggression contents are anticipated, and a later attentional avoidance of aggression. The early depression-related bias in information processing may have maladaptive effects on the way depressed individuals perceive and function in social interaction and can therefore maintain depressed mood.


Keywordsdepression (mental disorders)moodsocial interactionattentionstimuli (role related to effect)emotionsaggressivenesseye trackingeye movementscognitive psychologycognitive biases

Free keywordsavoidance behavior; cognitive hypersensitivity; eye tracking; social risk hypothesis; unipolar depression


Contributing organizations


Ministry reportingYes

Reporting Year2021

JUFO rating1


Last updated on 2024-26-03 at 09:19