Influence of individual differences in Behavioral Inhibition System on the magnitude and time course of the fear-potentiated startle

Previous research has shown that the startle reflex is potentiated during experimentally induced anxiety (fear-potentiated startle). In the present study, the magnitude and time course of the startle blink reflex were examined among 35 undergraduates scoring one standard deviation above (n = 14) or below (n = 21) the mean in a self-report measure of sensitivity to punishment (SP) in a paradigm involving the anticipation of electric shocks. Contrary to our predictions, SP did not relate to differences in the magnitude or in the time course of fear-potentiated startle. Our data do not support an association between this individual differences variable and the fear-potentiated startle.