What do I do now? Intolerance of uncertainty is associated with discrete patterns of anticipatory physiological responding to different uncertain contexts

Abstract

Heightened physiological responses to uncertainty are a common hallmark of anxiety disorders. Many separate studies have examined the relationship between individual differences in intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and physiological responses to uncertainty during different contexts. Despite this, little is known about the extent to which physiological responses during different uncertain contexts covary within individuals based on IU. Anticipatory physiological responses to uncertainty were assessed in three different contexts (associative threat learning, basic threat uncertainty, decision-making) within the same sample (n = 45). During these tasks, behavioural responses (i.e. reaction times, choices), skin conductance and corrugator supercilli activity were recorded. In addition, self-reported IU and trait anxiety were measured. IU made different contributions to the physiological measures during each task. IU was found to modulate both skin conductance and corrugator supercilii activity for the associative threat learning and decision-making contexts. However, trait anxiety was found to modulate corrugator supercilii activity during the basic threat uncertainty context. Ultimately, this research helps us further tease apart the role of IU in different uncertain contexts, which will be relevant for future IU-related models of psychopathology.