Response inhibition in problematic social network sites use: an ERP study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• The classification of Problematic Social Network Sites Use (PSNSU) as a behavioral addiction remains debated.
• Understanding the neural underpinnings of PSNSU is crucial for its classification and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether PSNSU is characterized by deficits in inhibitory control, a hallmark of addictive behaviors.
• To examine inhibitory control differences between problematic and non-problematic Facebook users in emotional and addiction-related contexts.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 22 problematic and 23 non-problematic Facebook users based on the Problematic Facebook Use Scale.
• Recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) during an emotional Go/Nogo Task with varied picture stimuli (Facebook-related, pleasant, unpleasant, neutral).
• Analyzed Nogo-N2 and Nogo-P3 amplitudes as measures of response conflict detection and inhibition, alongside reaction times and accuracy.

Main Results:

• Problematic users showed lower accuracy on Go and Nogo trials regardless of picture type.
• Problematic users exhibited reduced Nogo-P3 amplitude (less efficient inhibition) to Facebook-related, pleasant, and neutral stimuli compared to unpleasant stimuli.
• Both groups were slower on Facebook-related and pleasant Go trials, and showed larger Nogo-N2 amplitudes (increased conflict) to Facebook-related stimuli.

Conclusions:

• Findings suggest PSNSU is associated with reduced inhibitory control, aligning it with characteristics of behavioral addictions.
• The neural correlates of PSNSU show more similarities than differences compared to other addictive behaviors.
• These results contribute to the ongoing debate on the addictive nature of PSNSU.