Event Source Modulates the Valence Focus of Optimism Bias: Evidence from Behavior and ERPs

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Optimism bias describes expecting more positive and fewer negative personal events.
• The influence of event source (autonomous choice vs. external imposition) on optimism bias valence focus is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how event source modulates the valence focus of optimism bias.
• To examine behavioral and electroencephalography (EEG) measures of optimism bias under different event sources.

Main Methods:

• Thirty participants performed a task involving event source, valence, and target (self vs. other).
• Electroencephalography (EEG) was used, analyzing the late positive potential (LPP) as a neural index of self-relevance.

Main Results:

• Behaviorally, autonomous choice maintained optimism bias for positive events, while external imposition induced it for negative events.
• The LPP mirrored behavioral findings under autonomous choice, but showed a valence-general self-bias under external imposition.

Conclusions:

• Event source significantly influences the valence focus of optimism bias.
• Autonomous choice leads to a positive-focused bias, whereas external imposition shifts it to a negative-focused bias.
• Dissociated behavioral and neural patterns suggest dual optimism bias expressions requiring further research.