| 其他摘要 | Reward pursuit and punishment avoidance are the fundamental drivers of human behaviors, and thus the processing of rewards and punishments plays a vital role in our responses to the changes in the environment. Within this framework, the Reinforcement Sensitivity was formulated to delineate an individual's sensitivity and propensity to react to rewards and punishments. Notably, individual's stress response was modulated by perceived severity of the threat and its possible consequences. Therefore, theoretical literature has suggested the importance of reward and punishment processing and reinforcement sensitivity in moderating stress responses. However, there is currently a lack of systematic research concerning the relationship between reinforcement sensitivity as well as reward and punishment processing and stress responses in healthy populations. Employing both the self-report scale and event-related potentials (ERP), we examined both reinforcement sensitivity and anticipatory and consummatory processing phases. The overarching aim of the research is to unpack the moderating roles and underlying mechanisms of reinforcement sensitivity as well as reward and punishment processing in the context of both laboratory and daily stress responses.
In our initial study (Study 1), we investigated the influence of reinforcement sensitivity on stress responses in the laboratory. Reward Sensitivity and Punishment Sensitivity Scale was utilized to measure individuals' reinforcement sensitivity. We employed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) to induce a state of stress, and collected data on various markers, including salivary cortisol levels, heart rate, subjective emotional states, and task performance, both before and after the test. Our analysis showed that individuals with high reward sensitivity displayed a reduced cortisol response during stress situations. Conversely, heightened punishment sensitivity was associated with elevated negative emotions and a suppression of positive emotions.
Additionally, these traits also moderated participants' task performance under stress: those with elevated punishment sensitivity and diminished reward sensitivity exhibited poorer performance during the speech task. Besides, the above effects remained significant after controlling for neuroticism and extraversion.
Expanding upon the results of Study 1，Studies 2 and 3 sought to delve into the moderating effects of diverse cognitive processing components on stress responses in the laboratory during the handling of monetary and social reinforcers. We closely monitored ERPs during both the anticipatory and consummatory processing phases using the Monetary Incentive Delay Task (MID) and the Social Feedback Task (SJT). In the anticipatory processing phase, ERPs associated with cue detection and action preparation did not demonstrate any significant moderating value for stress responses. However, the anticipation of feedback and the consummatory processing phase emerged as critical moderators of stress responses. Within the context of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), early-stage ERP components during consummatory processing (specifically P2/FRN) were positively correlated with elevated heart ratesunder stress conditions. Regarding the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, weobserved that a smaller amplitude of Feedback-Related Negativity (FRN) followingrewards was associated with lower cortisol levels under stress. Conversely, a largeramplitude of P3 following rewards or punishments, which is more closely related withthe task motivation was linked to better performance in the speech task.
In Study 4, we shifted our focus to explore how reinforcement sensitivity moderating individual differences in daily stress responses. During a 16一day follow-up period, participants were asked to report their experienced stressful events and emotional states twice daily. To analyze the data, we utilized Hierarchical Linear Model and incorporated time-lag effects to examine the stress recovery process. The results indicated that reward sensitivity played a significant role in moderating both the immediate stress response and the subsequent recovery. Specifically, individuals with higher levels of reward sensitivity exhibited a lesser intensification of negative emotions and a more efficient recovery from stress. In contrast, punishment sensitivity did not appear to significantly influence susceptibility to daily stress. Consistent with Study 1，the above effects were all independent of neuroticism and extraversion.
Studies 5 and 6 extended our inquiry by examining how cognitive processing of monetary and social rewards and punishments differentially moderate daily stress responses, as well as with their underlying mechanisms. Interestingly, our results indicated that the cognitive processing of monetary rewards and punishments did not have a significant impact on daily stress responses. However, the cognitive processing of social rewards and punishments emerged as a unique moderator for moderating stress responses. Specifically, a smaller amplitude of FRN following unexpected social rejection was associated with a stronger stress response.
In summary, the present study lends empirical support to the moderating power of reinforcement sensitivity as well as reward and punishment processing in determining individual differences in stress responses. Compared with punishment sensitivity and punishment processing, our findings highlight the vital and reliable role of the reward sensitivity and reward processing in moderating stress responses. Reward sensitivity and positive expectations reflected by FRN as protective shields mitigate excessively intense HPA一axis and psychological stress reactions. It also emphasizes the independent moderating effect of reinforcement sensitivity on the stress responses. From a theoretical standpoint, our study enriches the understanding of individual variability in stress susceptibility, thereby advancing the broader scientific discourse on this subject. Practically, our findings hold considerable implications for clinical screening procedures aimed at identifying individuals best suited for roles that involve high levels of stress, thereby providing empirically grounded foundation for such determinations. |
修改评论