Language-based labeling modulates oscillatory neural dynamics of social pain processing

The neurocognitive mechanisms underlying language-based implicit modulation of social pain remain poorly understood. To examine the neural dynamics associated with this process, we recorded electroencephalography (EEG) from 39 healthy adults completing a three-condition labeling task: social exclusion labeling, affect labeling, and gender labeling. Results showed that social exclusion labeling produced stronger modulation of social pain-related neural responses than affect labeling, as reflected in reduced N400 and P300 amplitudes, suggesting a more efficient allocation of cognitive resources during social pain processing. Time-frequency analyses revealed suppressed left-hemisphere theta oscillations, especially in prefrontal regions implicated in cognitive-affective control. Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) further demonstrated distinct neural activation patterns across conditions, particularly within theta and beta bands during early and late processing stages. In addition, the exploratory theta-beta phase-amplitude coupling analysis suggested reduced cross-frequency coordination under social exclusion labeling, consistent with lower cognitive demand and altered neural encoding of socially painful stimuli. Together, these findings identify social exclusion labeling as a distinct language-based route for the implicit modulation of social pain, extending affect-labeling accounts and underscoring the importance of social-contextual semantic processing. This evidence may inform future research on language-based strategies for regulating socially painful experiences.