Neural Processing of Social Stimuli in High vs. Low Social Anxiety Individuals: A Pilot Study

Social anxiety is characterized by fear in various socially related situations. Research demonstrates that people with high social anxiety have lower self-esteem and experience negative impacts from this state. The current pilot study aimed to investigate neural responses to social stimuli in individuals with high and low social anxiety. Fifty-seven participants completed an online screening form to assess anxiety levels, with four participants selected for each group based on their scores (High Social Anxiety group: M_age = 20.57, SD = 4.27; Low Social Anxiety group: M_age $=\mathbf{2 8. 5}, \mathbf{S D}=\mathbf{7. 1 8}$). Participants underwent EEG recordings while being exposed to facial expression stimuli. Results revealed lower event-related potentials (ERPs) in individuals with high social anxiety compared to those with low social anxiety. These findings suggest altered neural processing of social cues in individuals with high social anxiety, highlighting the need for further investigation into the underlying mechanisms.