Electrophysiological Dynamics of Emotion Regulation under the Two-Dimensional Model of Adult Attachment: An Event-Related Potential Study

Poster Session A - Saturday, April 13, 2024, 2:30 – 4:30 pm EDT, Sheraton Hall ABC

Marcos Domic Siede¹ (mdomic@ucn.cl), Andrea Sánchez-Corzo², Martín Irani³, Mónica Guzmán¹, Xaviera Álvarez¹, Vanessa Araya¹, Camila Espinoza¹, Karla Zenis¹, Jennifer Marín-Medina¹; ¹Universidad Católica del Norte, ²St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, ³University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Emotional regulation is the process by which individuals modulate their emotional experiences and expressions. While literature on the subject expands, a clear understanding of the electrophysiological dynamics at play, particularly within the framework of attachment theory, remains elusive. This theory elucidates the profound impacts of our initial relationships on our subsequent interpersonal dynamics and emotional regulation strategies. In this study, the brain activity of 59 Latin American participants was recorded via EEG while they performed an emotional regulation task involving the attendance, reappraisal, or suppression of emotions triggered by unpleasant images taken from IAPS. Additionally, the ECR-12 scale measured attachment anxiety and avoidance. The results revealed a higher emotion regulation index of cognitive reappraise measured using the Late Positive Potential (LPP) during emotion regulation and natural conditions. This index correlates with reduced arousal elicited by the unpleasant images. Additionally, a higher attachment anxiety score was associated with higher levels of arousal during cognitive reappraisal and a reduced level of emotion regulation index. Finally, a group of people with lower levels of attachment-anxiety exhibited higher levels of emotion regulation index during reappraisal compared to those with higher levels of attachment-anxiety. This study provides novel insights into the relationship between attachment orientations and emotional regulation, as evidenced by EEG-based measurements of the LPP. The findings indicate that individuals with higher attachment anxiety display distinct electrophysiological responses during emotional regulation tasks, particularly in cognitive reappraisal scenarios.

Topic Area: EMOTION & SOCIAL: Emotion-cognition interactions