Inhibitory control and stress biomarkers in response to social media stimuli: a Go/No-Go study using heart rate variability, alpha-amylase and oxytocin

Problematic social media use is increasingly recognized as a heterogeneous phenomenon; yet the cognitive and psychophysiological mechanisms underlying distinct user profiles remain poorly understood. This study examines the relationship between cognitive control, stress regulation, and the psychophysiological response to social media stimuli using a multidimensional approach. Using a three-phase protocol (baseline, task, and recovery), inhibitory control was assessed alongside objective biomarkers—heart rate variability (SDNN), salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), and salivary oxytocin—across three distinct psychophysiological profiles. The functional profile (FP) showed the highest cognitive performance (M = 76.75, SD = 2.61), a significant within-profile post-task SDNN increase (p = .003), and a progressive decrease in salivary sAA from baseline to the recovery phase (p = .001). The compulsive use profile (CUP) exhibited intermediate performance (M = 73.44) with a descriptive pattern of sympathetic reactivity during exposure and apparent subsequent autonomic recovery (p = .033, not surviving Bonferroni correction); this pattern is considered exploratory and should be interpreted with caution. The distress-associated profile (DAP) showed significantly more omissions both in the general task (H (2) = 6.47, p = .039) and specifically in response to social media stimuli (H (2) = 6.36, p = .042), as well as significantly fewer correct rejections to social media stimuli (H (2) = 6.36, p = .042), compared to the functional profile (DAP vs. FP: U = 69.00, Z = -2.55, p = .011). No significant between-group differences were found in false alarms or reaction time to social media stimuli. Taken together, these preliminary findings suggest that problematic social media use may not be homogeneous: while some users maintain recovery mechanisms, others show patterns suggestive of heightened reactivity and reduced biological flexibility, suggesting that, if replicated in larger and more controlled samples, these findings may inform the development of profile-differentiated intervention approaches.