Considering ERP difference scores as individual difference measures: Issues with subtraction and alternative approaches
Abstract
There is growing interest in psychophysiological and neural correlates of psychopathology, personality, and other individual differences. Many studies correlate a criterion individual difference variable (e.g., anxiety) with a psychophysiological measurement derived by subtracting scores taken from two within-subject conditions. These subtraction-based difference scores are intended to increase specificity by isolating variability of interest. Using data on the error-related negativity (ERN) and correct response negativity (CRN) in relation to generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), we highlight several conceptual and practical issues with subtraction-based difference scores and propose alternative approaches based on regression. We show that ERN and CRN are highly correlated, and that the ΔERN (i.e., ERN - CRN) is correlated in opposite directions both with ERN and CRN. Bivariate analyses indicate that GAD is related to ΔERN and ERN, but not CRN. We first show that, by using residualized scores, GAD relates both to a larger ERN and smaller CRN. Moreover, by probing the interaction of ERN and CRN, we show that the relationship between GAD and ERN varies by CRN. These latter findings are not evident when using traditional subtraction-based difference scores. We then completed follow-up analyses that suggested that an increased P300 in anxious individuals gave rise to the apparent anxiety/CRN relationship observed. These findings have important conceptual implications for facilitat…
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The explicit modeling of the group × response type interaction was chosen over subtraction-based difference scores because subtraction-based scores compound the imperfect reliabilities of the two constituent scores, especially when the constituent scores are strongly correlated.
“This explicit modeling of the interaction was chosen over the more common subtraction-based difference scores because subtraction-based scores compound the imperfect reliabilities of the two constituent scores, especially when the constituent scores are strongly correlated (Clayson et al., 2021; Meyer et al., 2017) as is typically the case with the ERN and CRN.”
From Foster care intervention protects cognitive control skills in young adults exposed to institutional rearing (2026) · cites this paper as Meyer et al., 2017
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“Following Meyer et al. (2017), the ERN and Pe were computed as unstandardized residualized difference scores (average voltage for correct trials regressed out of average voltage for error trials) to reflect the difference wave between correct and erroneous responses, 3 separately for the ERN (R 2 =…”
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Hanna, G., Liu, Y., Rentschler, L., Hanna, B., Arnold, P., & Gehring, W. (2024) · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-3943784/v1 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Valadez, E. A., Jopling, E., Macera, E., Wade, M., Zeanah, C. H., Nelson, C. A., & Fox, N. A. (2026) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579426101928
- Authors
- Meyer, A., Lerner, M. D., De Los Reyes, A., Laird, R. D., & Hajcak, G.
- Affiliations
- Stony Brook University (US)
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland at College Park, College Park Maryland USA
- LSU New Orleans (US)
- Corresponding author
- Meyer, Alexandria
- Venue
- Psychophysiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-12-20
- Volume
- 54
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 114-122
- ISSN
- 0048-5772 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8986
- OpenAlex
- W2563932591
- Cited by
- 251
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 5
- FWCI
- 13.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychophysiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Psychological Testing and Assessment
- Keywords
- error-related negativity, correct response negativity, generalized anxiety disorder, individual differences, P300, anxiety
- MeSH terms
- Anxiety Disorders, Cerebral Cortex, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Electroencephalography, Evoked Potentials, Humans, Individuality, Neuropsychological Tests, Psychophysiology, Regression Analysis, Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted, Event-Related Potentials, P300
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