Processing of own versus other names differentially affects startle reflex modification

Previous research suggests that the startle eyeblink response may be differentially modified at very short latencies by words that attract more versus fewer attentional resources. These studies were conducted using threat and non-threat words as stimuli. The goal of the present study was to examine whether startle blink modification is similarly affected by differential attention when one's own name versus another name is used as a lead stimulus. Fifty-six undergraduates were presented repeatedly with their own name or another name displayed visually, followed (60, 120, 300, or 2000 ms later) by an acoustic startling noise burst. Startle magnitude was differentially modified by own versus other names, primarily at the 60 and 120 ms lead intervals. Other names demonstrated greater magnitude potentiation at the 60 ms interval and greater magnitude inhibition at the 120 ms lead interval compared with own names, suggesting the startle modification paradigm is sensitive to early attentional processes engaged during the reading of non-threat-related words.