Effect of self-disgust on self processing effect

Abstract

Self-prioritization is the tendency to process information about oneself faster and more effectively than information concerning others. Recent work has demonstrated that stimuli related to the "good self" (e.g., positive valent self-concept) are prioritized over those related to the "bad self" (e.g.,negative valent self-concept). This difference indicates that self-prioritization is not merely a matter of self-relevance but also emotional valence. This subtle comprehension is particularly relevant to the research of self-disgust, a negatively valenced self-conscious emotion that includes feelings of revulsion and avoidance toward the self. By examining self-prioritization and self-disgust together, my research aims to explore how people cognitively represent various aspects of the self, specifically whether and how negative self-judgments, such as disgust, influence the prioritization of emotionally salient self-representations . The findings revealed that self-related stimuli were processed more quickly than stranger-related ones, with a greater prioritization of the "desirable-self" over the "disgusting-self." Reaction times for the "desirable-self" were comparable to the "you,"(self) whereas the "disgusting-self" was similar to the "stranger," (other) which means that desirable self- was processed similar to core self-representations, while disgusting self was not. A significant negative correlation between SDS and desirable self and SDS and disgusting self was observed. No correlation between self and SDS was observed, suggesting that individual differences in self-disgust sensitivity modulate the speed of self-referential processing, particularly when valence-laden self-representations (desirable and disgusting self) are involved.