Cory Pettit, Brigham Young University
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate how stress affects performance monitoring, specifically the error-related negativity (ERN) component of the event-related potential (ERP). To produce stress, we used the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST), which elicits a stress response confirmed by cortisol measurements. We hypothesized that increased state levels of social stress would increase ERN amplitudes.
Method: Undergraduate students were recruited and randomly assigned to either a Trier stress group or to a control, non-stressed group [Trier Males n=22, Trier Females n = 22, Control Males n= 21, Control Females n = 20]. Following consent, individuals in the Trier group completed the TSST while control participants listened to a neutral recording. Subsequently, both groups completed a computerized Go-No-Go task while electroencephalogram and event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded.
Results: Results indicated a main effect of accuracy with more negative amplitudes for error than correct trials (F=68.30, p<.001). No interaction was found between accuracy and condition (F=0.015, p=0.90). No interaction was found between accuracy and gender (F=1.289, p=.26); however, a significant effect was found between accuracy, condition, and gender (F=4.739, p=0.032) with males tending to have more positive CRN amplitudes in the control condition and females tending to have more negative ERN amplitudes in the stress condition. Conclusions: Our hypothesis that stress would have an overall effect on performance monitoring was not supported by our data. However, this study provides preliminary evidence that gender is a moderator of the effects of stress on electrophysiological indicators of performance monitoring. Specifically, females may respond to stress with heightened processing of errors.