1372 - COGNITIVE BIASES AND SOCIAL ANXIETY: INVESTIGATION OF THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF INTERPRETATION BIAS BETWEEN ATTENTIONAL BIAS AND MEMORY BIAS

Session: P_D06S004 - Poster Session 4 - Division 6
AUTHORS:
Liang Chi-Wen (Chung Yuan Christian University ~ Taoyuan City ~ Taiwan) , Chiang Yueh-Ning (Chung Yuan Christian University ~ Taoyuan City ~ Taiwan)
Abstract text:
Introduction: Cognitive-behavioral models of social anxiety suggest that cognitive biases play a critical role in maintaining social anxiety. Prior research has consistently demonstrated that individuals with social anxiety exhibit various cognitive biases, including attentional, memory, and interpretation biases. The Combined Cognitive Biases Hypothesis (CCBH) proposes that these biases may interact with one another in significant way. However, few studies have examined interrelationships among multiple cognitive biases. Purpose: The object of this study is to investigate the relationships among attention bias, interpretation bias, and memory bias in individuals with social anxiety. Method: A total of 116 participants (56 male, 60 female = 60; Mean age = 20.03) participated in this study. They first completed a modified version of the Word Sentence Association Paradigm (modified WSAP), integrated with eye-tracking technology to simultaneously measures attentional and interpretation biases. After completing the modified WSAP, participants were unexpectedly asked to perform a free recall and recognition task for faces and words presented during the modified WSAP. Lastly, participants completed the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale and Social Phobia Scale. Results: Participants exhibiting higher levels of social anxiety displayed a greater attentional bias towards threats and demonstrated more negative interpretation bias. Notably, social anxiety did not correlate with memory bias. The results showed that longer dwell times on threatening faces were associated with a greater negative interpretation bias. Negative interpretation bias adversely affected memory performance for positive stimuli. Additionally, negative interpretation bias mediated the relationship between negative attentional bias and positive memory bias. In particular, participants who had difficulty disengaging from threatening faces demonstrated more negative interpretations and recognized fewer positive stimuli. Conclusions: This study suggests that sustained attention to threat increases negative interpretation bias, leading to a reduction in memory for positive stimuli.