@article{WendtMorriss2022,
  author    = {Wendt, Julia and Morriss, Jayne},
  title     = {An examination of intolerance of uncertainty and contingency instruction on multiple indices during threat acquisition and extinction training},
  series = {International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology},
  volume    = {177},
  journal   = {International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam [u.a.]},
  issn      = {0167-8760},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.05.005},
  pages     = {171 -- 178},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Individuals who score high in self-reported Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) tend to find uncertainty aversive. Prior research has demonstrated that under uncertainty individuals with high IU display difficulties in updating learned threat associations to safety associations. Importantly, recent research has shown that providing contingency instructions about threat and safety contingencies (i.e. reducing uncertainty) to individuals with high IU promotes the updating of learned threat associations to safety associations. Here we aimed to conceptually replicate IU and contingency instruction-based effects by conducting a secondary analysis of self-reported IU, ratings, skin conductance, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data recorded during uninstructed/instructed blocks of threat acquisition and threat extinction training (n = 48). Generally, no significant associations were observed between self-reported IU and differential responding to learned threat and safety cues for any measure during uninstructed/instructed blocks of threat acquisition and threat extinction training. There was some tentative evidence that higher IU was associated with greater ratings of unpleasantness and arousal to the safety cue after the experiment and greater skin conductance response to the safety cue during extinction generally. Potential explanations for these null effects and directions for future research are discussed.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{PollatosWernerDuscheketal.2011,
  author    = {Pollatos, Olga and Werner, Natalie S. and Duschek, Stefan and Schandry, Rainer and Matthias, Ellen and Traut-Mattausch, Eva and Herbert, Beate M.},
  title     = {Differential effects of alexithymia subscales on autonomic reactivity and anxiety during social stress},
  series = {Journal of psychosomatic research},
  volume    = {70},
  journal   = {Journal of psychosomatic research},
  number    = {6},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Oxford},
  issn      = {0022-3999},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.jpsychores.2010.12.003},
  pages     = {525 -- 533},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {Objectives: Alexithymia is characterized by a difficulty in identifying and describing one's emotions. Recent research has associated differential effects of the alexithymia facets to hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis markers during stress. This study aimed to analyze how the facets of alexithymia interact with autonomic reactivity as well as self- and observer-rated anxiety during a social stress task. Methods: With the use of a public-speaking paradigm, skin conductance levels (SCLs) and heart rate (HR) during the defined periods of baseline, preparation, stress, and recovery were assessed in 60 volunteers (42 females, mean age 22.8) categorized as having either high (HDA) or low (LDA) degrees of alexithymia. Results: We found smaller SCLs during preparation and speech in the HDA group. Regression analyses indicated that only the alexithymia facet "difficulty in describing feelings" (DDF) was associated with smaller electrodermal responses. In the HDA group, self- and observer-rated anxiety was higher in the HDA than in the LDA group, which was attributable to higher scores in the subscales "difficulty in identifying feelings" (DIF) and "externally oriented thinking" (EOT). Conclusions: Our data support and specify the decoupling hypothesis of alexithymia by showing that the facets of alexithymia are differentially related to autonomic reactivity as well as self- and observer-rated anxiety during social stress.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ZhouKornherMohnkeetal.2021,
  author    = {Zhou, Yuefang and Kornher, Tristan and Mohnke, Janett and Fischer, Martin H.},
  title     = {Tactile interaction with a humanoid robot},
  series = {International journal of social robotics},
  volume    = {13},
  journal   = {International journal of social robotics},
  number    = {7},
  publisher = {Springer},
  address   = {Dordrecht},
  issn      = {1875-4791},
  doi       = {10.1007/s12369-021-00749-x},
  pages     = {1657 -- 1677},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {This study investigated how touching and being touched by a humanoid robot affects human physiology, impressions of the interaction, and attitudes towards humanoid robots. 21 healthy adult participants completed a 3 (touch style: touching, being touched, pointing) x 2 (body part: hand vs buttock) within-subject design using a Pepper robot. Skin conductance response (SCR) was measured during each interaction. Perceived impressions of the interaction (i.e., friendliness, comfort, arousal) were measured per questionnaire after each interaction. Participants' demographics and their attitude towards robots were also considered. We found shorter SCR rise times in the being touched compared to the touching condition, possibly reflecting psychological alertness to the unpredictability of robot-initiated contacts. The hand condition had shorter rise times than the buttock condition. Most participants evaluated the hand condition as most friendly and comfortable and the robot-initiated interactions as most arousing. Interacting with Pepper improved attitudes towards robots. Our findings require future studies with larger samples and improved procedures. They have implications for robot design in all domains involving tactile interactions, such as caring and intimacy.},
  language  = {en}
}