The body-threat assessment battery (BTAB) : A new instrument for the quantification of threat-related autonomic affective responses induced via dynamic movie clips

Braithwaite, J. J. and Watson, Derrick and Dewe, Hayley (2020) The body-threat assessment battery (BTAB) : A new instrument for the quantification of threat-related autonomic affective responses induced via dynamic movie clips. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 155. pp. 16-31. ISSN 0167-8760

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Abstract

We present a new instrument for the assessment of responses to threat-related imagery directed towards a human body – the Body-Threat Assessment Battery (BTAB). The BTAB consists of a series of high-definition dynamic clips depicting body-threats and matched non-threat baseline behaviours. For body-threat stimuli a perspective manipulation was included to assess the effects of viewing threats from the point-of-view of the observer (POV) or from an external / exocentric perspective (EXO). Green-screen technology was used so that extraneous background information could be removed and standardised in post-production. Categorical normative data for psychological ratings (valence, arousal and pain), psychophysiological, phasic skin conductance responses (SCRs) and tonic skin conductance levels (SCLs) were obtained for all stimuli. Body-threat stimuli evoked significantly higher psychological ratings of arousal and pain, with more negative ratings of valence, relative to baseline stimuli. In addition, threat stimuli also had an increased efficacy at evoking SCRs, and these were significantly stronger relative to baseline stimuli. There were no effects of perspective on psychophysiological or psychological responses to threat imagery. The findings are discussed in the context of the utility and scope of the BTAB for supporting neurocognitive investigations of aversive imagery and body-threats specifically in the study of embodiment, body-processing and self-consciousness.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
International Journal of Psychophysiology
Additional Information:
This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in International Journal of Psychophysiology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in International Journal of Psychophysiology, 155, 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.04.018
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3200/3200
Subjects:
?? body threat imageryself-consciousnessbody imageautonomic responsesskin conductance responsespsychophysiologygeneral psychologygeneral neuroscienceneuropsychology and physiological psychologyphysiology (medical)neuroscience(all)discipline-based research ??
ID Code:
143482
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
23 Apr 2020 09:20
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
17 Sep 2024 09:42