Unique Associations of Revised-Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory Constructs with Social Anxiety

Abstract

Revised reinforcement sensitivity theory (r-RST) is a major neuropsychological theory of motivation, emotion and personality. We report the results of a study that examined the unique relationships of the r-RST constructs with two forms of anxiety: social interaction social performance. Five hundred and seventy-twoA adults completed the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ) alongside measures of social interaction anxiety and social performance anxiety. Regression results revealed both social interaction anxiety and social performance anxiety were linked uniquely and positively with the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) scale score, as predicted. In addition, social observation anxiety Rapson: is this a 3 rd form of anxiety that we have not mention above, where we say we looked at social interaction and performanceperhaps we clarify this as this findings seems to come out of the blue. was associated uniquely ad positively with the fight-flight-freeze system (FFFS) scale score. The theoretical and clinical implications of the findings for social anxiety are discussed.

The role of dispositional reinforcement sensitivity and self-esteem in social interaction anxiety and social phobia

“…Multiple regression indicated positive relationships concerning how BIS and total FFFS scores relate to both SIAS and SPS scores, and a negative relationship between FFFS defensive fight scores and SIAS but not SPS scores. In these regression analyses SIAS but not SPS scores were related to reduced BAS reward interest, and both SIAS and SPS scores were related to reduced BAS goal drive persistence scores (Gomez et al, 2021). It is notable here that in both sets of analyses SIAS and SPS scores were differentially related to the FFFS dimension of defensive fight.…”

“…We use the rRST-Q (Reuter, Cooper, Smillie, Markett, & Montag, 2015), which is a contemporary measure of rRST that was not administered in the above studies. Based upon a synthesis of the results reported by Gomez et al (2021) and Kramer and Rodriguez (2018) we predict that zero-order corelations will show that both SIAS and SPS will be positively correlated with BIS, FFFS-flight, and FFFSfreeze scores. Based on Kramer and Rodriguez (2018), who used a unitary revised BAS scale, we also predict that both SIAS and SPS will share a negative relationship with BAS scores.…”

“…Many studies assess trait social anxiety using the social interaction anxiety scale (SIAS) and social phobia scale (SPS; Mattick & Clarke, 1998). In research articles the SPS scale (which was designed to measure the fear of social scrutiny; Mattick & Clarke, 1998) is sometimes described as an indicator of social observation anxiety (e.g., Gomez et al, 2021;Kramer & Rodriguez, 2018).…”

Social interaction anxiety, social phobia, and cognitive control: controlled reactions to facial affect during an emotional face flanker task

“…Self-report studies have reported zero-order correlations showing that both trait social interaction anxiety and trait social phobia are positively correlated with BIS sensitivity, FFFS-flight/freeze sensitivity, and negatively correlated with BAS sensitivity and FFFS-fight sensitivity (e.g., du Rocher & Warfield, 2022;Gomez et al, 2022). Although a comparison of multiple regression analyses across different studies can show inconsistent results concerning which reinforcement sensitivity is the most prominent predictor of SIAS or SPS scores (e.g., du Rocher & Warfield, 2022; Gomez et al, 2022;Kramer & Rodriguez, 2018), these analyses do suggest that the rRST measures can explain a moderate amount of variance in both SIAS scores, and SPS scores. Future studies might test the relationship between self-reported BIS, BAS and FFFS sensitivity and the happy face RT advantage, as well as the RT congruency effect in the emotional face flanker task.…”

“…There is therefore an important gap in the literature as these studies did not differentiate the cognitive correlates of trait social interaction anxiety (fearfulness and avoidance of situations where social interaction with other people is a requirement) from those of trait social phobia / social observation anxiety (fearfulness and avoidance of situations where observation & Clarke, 1998). The SPS scale (which measures the fear of social scrutiny; Mattick & Clarke, 1998) is sometimes retitled as a measure of social observation anxiety (e.g., Gomez et al, 2022;Kramer & Rodriguez, 2018).…”