FAS Abstracts 2004 Meeting Page

Social Sciences (SOC): SOC-3

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Alexithymia and the P3 component of the event-related potential.  E. LOPEZ, Y. STAHL, C. BERGER, G. STARRATT, and C. STARRATT.  Dept. of Psychology, Barry University, Miami Shores, FL 33161. The P3 component of the event-related potential (ERP) is associated with cognitive processes as well as subjective factors and has also been used to investigate the physiological correlates associated with psychological constructs such as personality and emotion. ERP methodology was used to investigate the electrophysiological nature of alexithymia, a condition characterized by the inability to describe, differentiate, and/or express one’s feelings. Student participants were identified as relatively high or low in alexithymia using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20, 1993) and ERPs were elicited in an attend condition using an auditory oddball task. The amplitude of the P300 component of the ERP was measured. Hemispheric asymmetries associated with alexithymic characteristics were noted. Results from this study provide insight into the physiological nature of alexithymia.