Temporal dynamics in attention bias: effects of sex differences, task timing parameters, and stimulus valence

ABSTRACT

New methods of calculating indices from the dot-probe task measure temporal dynamics in attention bias or fluctuations in attention bias towards and away from emotional stimuli over time. However, it is unclear how task-specific parameters such as stimulus valence and stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) as well as participant sex affect temporal dynamics in attention bias. To address this, male and female participants (N = 106) completed either a fearful or happy face dot-probe task with four levels of SOA (84 ms, 168 ms, 336 ms, and 672 ms). Results suggest that temporal dynamics in attention bias are (1) greatest at the longest SOA, (2) greater in females, and (3) insensitive to stimulus valence. These findings indicate that participant sex and task timing, but not stimulus valence, are related to temporal dynamics in attention bias and should be considered in future studies utilizing this approach.

KEYWORDS:

• Attentional bias
• dot probe
• emotional attention
• attention variability
• trial level bias score
• sex differences

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the students in the Cognitive × Affective Behavior & Integrative Neuroscience (CABIN) Lab at Northern Michigan University for assisting in the collection of this data.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.