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There is growing interest in psychophysiological and neural correlates of psychopathology, personality, and other individual differences. Many studies correlate a criterion individual difference variable (e.g., anxiety) with a psychophysiological measurement derived by subtracting scores taken from two within‐subject conditions. These subtraction‐based difference scores are intended to increase specificity by isolating variability of interest. Using data on the error‐related negativity (ERN) and correct response negativity (CRN) in relation to generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), we highlight several conceptual and practical issues with subtraction‐based difference scores and propose alternative approaches based on regression. We show that ERN and CRN are highly correlated, and that the ΔERN (i.e., ERN − CRN) is correlated in opposite directions both with ERN and CRN. Bivariate analyses indicate that GAD is …