Coping with Self-Threat and the Evaluation of Self-Related Traits: An fMRI Study

PloS One
Andreas HoeflerAnja Ischebeck

Abstract

A positive view of oneself is important for a healthy lifestyle. Self-protection mechanisms such as suppressing negative self-related information help us to maintain a positive view of ourselves. This is of special relevance when, for instance, a negative test result threatens our positive self-view. To date, it is not clear which brain areas support self-protective mechanisms under self-threat. In the present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study the participants (N = 46) received a (negative vs. positive) performance test feedback before entering the scanner. In the scanner, the participants were instructed to ascribe personality traits either to themselves or to a famous other. Our results showed that participants responded slower to negative self-related traits compared to positive self-related traits. High self-esteem individuals responded slower to negative traits compared to low self-esteem individuals following a self-threat. This indicates that high self-esteem individuals engage more in self-enhancing strategies after a threat by inhibiting negative self-related information more successfully than low self-esteem individuals. This behavioral pattern was mirrored in the fMRI data as dACC correlated positive...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jun 26, 2018·Social Neuroscience·Madeline HuberthTakako Fujioka
Oct 31, 2017·Frontiers in Psychology·Tianyang ZhangYanhong Wu
Jul 17, 2021·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience·Gennady G KnyazevPavel D Rudych

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