The Contingency of Threat: Working Memory Capacity and Working Memory Load in Modulating Negativity Bias

Abstract

Negativity bias has been studied in prior research either through the induction of WM (working memory) load or through the influence of individual differences in WMC (working memory capacity). However, the present study investigated how this phenomenon of negativity bias was modulated by both WM load and WMC combined. Participants performed an AOSPAN task, which measured their WMC and consequently a Gender-Naming task as the primary dual-task paradigm with induction of WM load (remembering and recognizing a 1 or 8 digit string) and naming of the gender of an emotional face (angry or happy). Results revealed that both WM load and emotion independently affected RTs on gender naming. Participants demonstrated slower responses under high load than under low load, irrespective of emotion, as well as a greater negativity bias across load conditions. Interestingly, further analysis revealed that under high load, participants with low WMC were significantly more susceptible to negativity bias than those with either high or average WMC.