Comparison of attentional resource allocation to threat and self-relevant information: An event-related potentials study

Although previous researchers have shown that attention is preferentially allocated during situations involving both threat and self-relevant information, it is unclear which information type requires more cognitive resources. We compared the automatic processing of threat and self-relevant stimuli using the no-report oddball paradigm. Participants looked at images on a computer screen that displayed fighting with opponents or interacting with friends or customers. The body action of the person depicted was performed either toward the viewing participant or toward other people. Participants watched without making an explicit response, and event-related potentials were measured with electroencephalography. We found that threat (vs. self-relevant) information elicited a larger P300 amplitude, and for nonthreatening events the P300 amplitude was larger for self-relevant than other-relevant stimuli. These results indicate that threat (vs. self-relevant) information demands more cognitive resources, possibly because people prioritize survival.