Description:

In this paradigm, participants believe they will be evaluated by peers. These peers form first impressions of the participant (like/dislike) based on a portrait photograph of the participant. 
Thereafter (during the lab session) participants are shown photographs of these peer judges and the participant is asked to predict (for each peer) whether the peer liked/disliked the participant. The paradigm has 160 trials (10 practice trial) and takes around 20 minutes to administer. The paradigm is programmed in Eprime. Peer photos will not be made available due to privacy reasons.

 

Measures of interest:

This paradigm allows for examining electrophysiological responses to peer feedback. For example, prior research has demonstrated a pronounced slowing of heart rate, as well as enhanced EEG theta power reactivity to processing unexpected rejection feedback. Further, individual differences (e.g., fear of negative evaluation) correlate with task measures (e.g., feedback predictions).

 

Sources:

• Van der Molen, M.J.W., Dekkers, L.M.S., Westenberg, P.M., Van der Veen, F.M., & Van der Molen, M.W. (2017). Why don't you like me? Midfrontal theta power in response to unexpected peer rejection feedback. NeuroImage, 146, 474-483. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.08.045

Description:

In this paradigm, the participant is asked to participate in an impromptu speech task. First, the participant watches a short video clip of a peer presenting him/herself to the participant. Thereafter, the participant is instructed to present a similar speech (positive/negative traits of the participant). Using a cover story, participants believe that their speech will be video-recorded and shown to other peers. These peers will evaluate the participant's speech. This paradigm includes a baseline (the period where participants are oblivious to the next events), a peer presentation, an instruction to prepare a speech, an anticipation/preparation period, a speech period, and a recovery period.

 

 

Measures of interest:

This paradigm allows examining subjective measures of anxiety throughout the experiment, as well as electrophysiology during various social evaluative stress moments (e.g., anticipation and recovery). This paradigm is very sensitive to pick up on anxiety levels and EEG cross-frequency  (delta-beta) correlation.

 

Sources:

• Harrewijn, A., Van der Molen, M.J.W., & Westenberg, P.M. (2016). Putative EEG measures of social anxiety: comparing frontal alpha asymmetry and delta-beta cross-frequency correlation. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 16(6), 1086–1098. doi: 10.3758/s13415-016-0455-y