Collective self-referential processing evoked by different national symbols: An event-related potential study

•We first explored the temporal features of collective self-referential processing evoked by different national symbols.•National symbols elicited collective self-reference effects on N2, P3, and LPP amplitudes.•Polarized and unpolarized national symbols showed differences in N2 and P3 amplitudes.•National identity correlated with self-reference effect induced by both symbols at late processing stages. The collective self is an important representation of self-concept, especially for people in collectivism culture. However, it is not clear whether there are differences in the self-reference effects caused by different collective self-relevant stimuli. The present study aimed to explore the temporal characteristics of collective self-referential processing evoked by polarized and unpolarized national symbols. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded for pictures of national symbols and self-irrelevant pictures when 25 female participants performed a three-stimulus oddball task. The results indicate that compared to self-irrelevant pictures, both national symbols elicited collective self-reference effects on N2, P3, and LPP amplitudes. Polarized and unpolarized national symbols showed differences in N2 and P3 amplitudes. Moreover, national identity level was correlated with N2 and P3 amplitudes elicited by unpolarized symbols, and early LPP amplitudes elicited by both symbols. These results suggest greater recruitment of resources to process national symbols, and inconsistent time courses of processing different national symbols. Polarized symbols may consume more resources because of the internal complexity of their self-representations. The present study expands the research on collective self and its self-referential effect on women, and provides some enlightenment for understanding the internal factors that influence the strength of the self-reference effect.