Eye for detail: Local versus global visual processing style predicts the development of re-experiences after analogue trauma

Abstract

Cognitive theories of posttraumatic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) posit that cognitive processing during a traumatic event plays a role in the development of intrusive trauma memories. Altered attentional processes would result in dominant perceptual processing, leading to vivid, intrusive memories, i.e., re-experiences. However, peritraumatic processing may be determined by a general attentional processing style. Thus, a pre-existing processing style might also affect memory formation. This study investigated whether two attentional processing styles (local and global processing preference) predicted the development of re-experiences after analogue trauma. Healthy participants completed measures for neuroticism and reappraisal and executed the emotional Local-Global Processing task, measuring relative preference for local versus global processing of visual stimuli. The next day, they watched an aversive film and indicated peri-film mood and subjective control. PTSD symptoms were assessed one week later. A relative preference for local processing independently predicted re-experiences of the film. Moreover, it was associated with less reappraisal and with less perceived control and more horror during the film. The results are a first step in exploring the role of pre-trauma cognitive processing styles in encoding and memory (re)consolidation