| Abstract: | To test the comparative validity of 2 theories of anxiety (Sarason's interfering response and Spence and Taylor's drive theory), associations to word stimuli were analyzed. According to drive theory, anxiety should interfere with the number of different associations to the same word. Words that stimulate few associations should result in short reaction times and few disturbance of responsiveness and rare responses. According to interference theory there should be an effect upon association without an interaction between the degree of association value of the word and anxiety level of S. The results were interpreted as supporting Sarason's theory. From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4HK68G. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
