Negativity bias in social information processing in patients with personality disorder.

• Applicant: Privatdozentin Dr. Inga Niedtfeld
• Subject Area: Personality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology
• Term: since 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 256645687

Current dimensional models of personality disorders place interpersonal dysfunction at the core of personality disorders. To elucidate possible determinants of interpersonal dysfunction, during the first funding period of this project, the negativity bias in social cognition in Borderline Personality Disorder was investigated. In the current second funding period, we aim to further investigate biases in social cognition, focusing on impression formation, memory processing, as well as social decision making. At the same time, we aim to broaden the scope of our research by adopting the trait-model of personality disorders, and relating deficits in social cognition to pathological personality traits in addition to personality disorder categories. Our findings are expected to yield important implications regarding dimensional models of personality disorders, especially with regard to behavioural consequences of problematic trait patterns and the effects on interpersonal dysfunction. Additionally, results yield important implications for psychotherapeutic approaches aiming to improve patients levels of social functioning.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigators: Professor Dr. Mitja Back; Dr. Katharina Geukes; Dr. Meike Kroneisen; Dr. Isabel Thielmann