Altered processing of social emotions in individuals with autistic traits
We examine the atypical emotional valence and arousal of individuals with high autistic traits compared individuals with low autistic traits. Two groups of participants (High-AQ and Low-AQ) were recruited based on their scores on the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ). Their behavioral responses and event-related potentials (ERP) were compared in two experiments. Results show that more negative emotional reactions and smaller amplitudes of late ERP components (the late positive potential in Experiment 1 and the late negative component in Experiment 2) were found in the High-AQ group than in the Low-AQ group in response to the social-negative stimuli. These results suggest that individuals with autistic traits have altered emotional arousal of social-negative emotions.
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Skin color and attractiveness modulate empathy for pain: An event-related potential study
Although racial in-group bias in empathy for pain has been reported, empathic responses to others’ pain may be influenced by other characteristics besides race. To explore whether skin color and attractiveness modulate empathy for pain, we recorded 24 participants’ reactions to painful faces from racial in-group members with different skin color (fair, wheatish, or dark) and attractiveness (more or less attractive) using event-related potentials. Results showed that, for more attractive painful faces, dark skin faces were judged as less painful and elicited smaller N2 amplitudes than fair- and wheatish-skinned faces. Our findings suggest that Dark skin may inhibit our arousal and concentration levels.
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Autistic traits and empathy in Chinese college students: Mediating role of emotional regulation and arousal control
Produced Mediating Effect Analysis model revealing the relationship between abnormal emotional expression and arousal control in individuals with autism during the COVID-19 pandemic in china using Mplus.
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