To measure distress, the study measured the P3 mean amplitude to aversive, unexpected bursts of white noise.

Following Cyberball, participants put on headphones and listened passively to a series of beeps and white noise blasts. This lasted for 3 minutes. Participants were asked to fixate on a small cross presented on the computer screen during the task. This task was presented both before and after the selfie manipulation.

This P3 ERP component to white noise is related to emotional arousal and is heightened by distressing events, including distress after social exclusion. It was also related to negative mood following the Cyberball exclusion, as well as in response to highly deviant stimuli.