PERSONALITY EFFECTS ON BRAIN POTENTIALS IN AN S1-S2 PARADIGM

Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded in an S1-S2 paradi gm. S1 was a warning signal that indicated whether subjects had to res pond as quickly as possible, or had to delay their responses until 1 s ec after S2. The amplitudes of the frontal N1, the negative slow wave (NSW) and the terminal contingent negative variation (CNV) were larger following the speed-instruction than after the delay-instruction. To investigate the influence of personality, comparisons were made betwee n groups differing in negative affectivity, positive affectivity, sens ation seeking, and impulsivity. Persons scoring high on sensation seek ing (SS) showed larger NSW amplitudes than low-scorers on SS. This fin ding is interpreted as suggesting that larger NSW amplitudes reflect e motions that were approach-related rather than avoidance-related. It i s suggested that mechanisms generating the NSW are influenced by the a ffective characteristics of S1.