The vigilance-avoidance model of avoidant recognition: An ERP study under threat priming
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Measuring Attentional Biases for Threat in Children and Adults
Published on: October 19, 2014
Jing Zhai1, Xu Chen2, Jianling Ma3
1Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chong Qing, China; Hubei tianmen high school, Hu Bei, China.
Abstract:
Our study examined attachment-related electrophysiological differences in recognition using event-related potentials (ERPs) measured during a study-test paradigm after threat priming. We identified ERP correlates of recognition by comparing the ERPs of attachment-related positive and negative images between avoidant and secure attachment orientations. Our results revealed that the distribution of early old/new effects was broader in avoidant individuals than in secure individuals, and an early parietal old/new effect was observed in avoidant individuals, which reflected their implicit memory. The late old/new effect was found only in secure individuals when evoked by negative pictures, and was not observed in avoidant individuals. The results suggest that avoidant individuals adopt the "vigilance-avoidance" dual-process model to recognize both positive and negative attachment-related stimuli and carry out preferential familiarity matching at the automatic level and avoidant retrieval at the controlled-processing level.
Related Concept Videos
Frustration and Conflict: Avoidance-Avoidance, Double-Approach Avoidance
Frustration and Conflict: Approach-Approach, Approach-Avoidance
One common type of conflict is the Approach–Approach Conflict. In this case, a person faces two desirable...
Bystander Effect
Preparedness and Phobias
Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies
Hazan and Shaver's Attachment Styles

