Feedback related negativity (FRN) is an event related potential (ERP) component that is often linked to the processing of negative feedback. Previous studies indicated different physical reactions...Show moreFeedback related negativity (FRN) is an event related potential (ERP) component that is often linked to the processing of negative feedback. Previous studies indicated different physical reactions during the processing of positive and negative feedback. However, no studies investigated FRN potential differences during the processing of social feedback in young children. The present study examined differences in FRN potentials in children of 4 6 years old (N = 17, M = 5.61, 64,7% boys) during the processing of positive, negative and neutral social feedback. In addition, gender differences in effortful control (EC) and the relation between EC and the FRN difference score were examined. The FRN potentials were recorded during an age appropriate social judgment task accomplished by the participants. The results indicated no significant differences in FRN potentials during the processing of positive, negative and neutral social judgements, suggesting that young children do not differentiate between social judgments yet. According to the EC results, no relation is found between EC and the FRN difference score. These results suggest no relation between EC and FRNd potentials in young children. Also, no gender differences were found in EC, suggesting that young boys and girls have similar levels of inhibition and attentional focusing.Show less
The focus of the current study was on brain activities of young children during social judgment processing. We examined, using electro-encephalogram (EEG), amplitude differences of the P3...Show moreThe focus of the current study was on brain activities of young children during social judgment processing. We examined, using electro-encephalogram (EEG), amplitude differences of the P3 components between positive, negative and neutral social judgments in children between the age of four and six. In addition, the relation between individual differences in empathy and the difference score of the P3 amplitude between social acceptance and social rejection was studied. Before the start of the experiment, participants received a self-chosen stuffed animal. During EEG data acquisition participants were presented with same-aged peer judgments referring to their stuffed-animal. Empathy of the participants was measured by using the My Child Questionnaire and by performing the Sally-Anne task. Results showed a clear P3 amplitude between 500 and 800 milliseconds after stimulus onset. However, contrary to what was expected, no significant differences between positive, negative and neutral social judgment processing were found. Furthermore, empathy was not found to be related to P3 amplitude differences between social acceptance and social rejection. Although no statistical results were found, current research provides new hypothesis for further research that refers to social feedback processing in children between four and six years old.Show less
Emotions have motivating characteristics: either you approach or withdraw in reaction to emotional stimuli. This approach-withdrawal system has been the focus of emotion studies for several decades...Show moreEmotions have motivating characteristics: either you approach or withdraw in reaction to emotional stimuli. This approach-withdrawal system has been the focus of emotion studies for several decades now. Asymmetric frontal cortical activity has been widely used in these studies, using electroencephalogram (EEG). Two separate neural circuits are involved in different emotional reactions. The first is involved in emotional reactions that are more positive and elicit goals to approach or engage in a situation, and the second is involved in emotional reactions that are more negative and elicit goals to withdraw from a situation. Recently, another measurement has been hypothesized to be related to emotion, and particularly the approach-withdrawal system, namely tympanic membrane temperature (TMT). TMT would be a powerful instrument to use as an alternative for EEG, particularly in infant research. However it is not yet clear if a relationship between EEG and TMT exist, which is analysed in this study. A relationship between those two measurements means that TMT might be of use in emotion studies. This is of great importance, because TMT is less invasive and can be easily used in research. The study population consisted of 18 infants of 10 months old. The current study used EEG to measure asymmetric frontal cortical activity and TMT was measured using an ear thermometer. The findings suggest that no relationship can be found between TMT and EEG, indicating that TMT does not measure the same thing as EEG. Hence, the hypothesis that TMT is a cheaper and easier replacement for EEG measurements cannot be endorsed in light of present data.Show less
Psychological control is a parenting technique, that is described as parental controlling behaviour that intrudes on the emotional and psychological world of their child. As psychological control...Show morePsychological control is a parenting technique, that is described as parental controlling behaviour that intrudes on the emotional and psychological world of their child. As psychological control is suggested to create a link between the child’s behaviour and relational consequences with the parent, the child may experience it’s behaviour can be threatening the security of the parent-child relationship. This might specifically be true in a performance context, where the child’s performance on a task may be perceived as possibly threatening the security of the relationship. It is suggested that this relational consequences still emerge up to young adulthood. For these young adults, it is hypothesized that they will show more withdrawal tendencies from a performance task. These tendencies can be measured through electroencephalogram (EEG) activity of the frontal cortices. This thesis sought to determine whether psychological control influences the frontal brain asymmetry, that serves as a measure for approach-withdrawal motivation, in young adulthood. Baseline frontal EEG was recorded from 26 female undergraduates, preceding and after doing a time-estimation task. Approach motivation was observed preceding the task, and changed to withdrawal motivation afterwards. No influence of psychological control was found. An additional exploration of how motivation to perform well, and satisfaction with the performance, related to the approach-withdrawal motivation, yielded no significant results either. Despite the lack of significant results, some suggestions for further research emerge from this thesis. Replication with an increased sample size and additional measurements of the characteristics of the participants in the sample could contribute to the research in the field of psychological control and cortical activity.Show less
