Discrimination of threat cues without awareness in anxiety states.

Investigated whether differences in the way that information related to danger is processed depend on voluntary attention to threat cues or on involuntary processes that may occur in the absence of awareness. 16 Ss (mean age 30.9 yrs) complaining of generalized anxiety states and 16 nonanxious matched controls (mean age 32.6 yrs) completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the synonyms section of the Mill Hill Vocabulary Scale. Ss then shadowed neutral passages in a dichotic listening task while simultaneously being exposed to threat- or non-threat-related words in the unattended channel. Anxious Ss were slower in performing a simultaneous reaction time (RT) task when the unattended words were threatening in content, although neither group could report on or recognize the words to which they had been exposed. This finding suggests that threat cues are processed differently by anxious and nonanxious individuals and that this effect depends on a preattentive bias operating prior to awareness. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bias in interpretation of ambiguous sentences related to threat in anxiety.

In the 1st of 2 experiments, currently clinically anxious, recovered clinically anxious, and normal control Ss were presented with a mixture of unambiguous sentences; both threatening and nonthreatening interpretations were possible for the latter. A subsequent recognition-memory test indicated that the currently anxious Ss were more likely than normal control and recovered anxious Ss to interpret the ambiguous sentences in a threatening fashion rather than in a nonthreatening fashion. This suggests that the biased interpretation of ambiguity found in currently anxious Ss reflected their anxious mood state. A 2nd experiment established that the difference in interpretative processes between currently anxious and control Ss was not due to response bias and that the interpretative bias was a reasonably general one. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Physical abuse amplifies attention to threat and increases anxiety in children.

Two experiments using event-related potentials (ERPs) examined the extent to which early traumatic experiences affect children's ability to regulate voluntary and involuntary attention to threat. The authors presented physically abused and nonabused comparison children with conflicting auditory and visual emotion cues, posed by children's mothers or a stranger, to examine the effect of emotion, modality, and poser familiarity on attention regulation. Relative to controls, abused children overattended to task-relevant visual and auditory anger cues. They also attended more to task-irrelevant auditory anger cues. Furthermore, the degree of attention allocated to threat statistically mediated the relationship between physical abuse and child-reported anxiety. These findings indicate that extreme emotional experiences may promote vulnerability for anxiety by influencing the development of attention regulation abilities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Trait anxiety and beliefs regarding danger and threat to self-esteem.

Administered the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to 46 Ss, who were then asked to rate the degree of threat or danger involved in several hypothetical situations. Results support R. Lazurus' theory that chronic or dispositional anxiety is significantly related to beliefs that the environment is physically dangerous and threatening to self-esteem. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Trait versus state anxiety, authoritarianism and ego threat versus physical threat.

Examined the effects of individual differences (authoritarianism, trait anxiety) and situational factors (ego and physical threat) on state anxiety (A-state). 60 male undergraduates were given Kohn's Authoritarianism-Rebellion Scale, the WAIS Block Design subtest, Endler's S-R Inventory of Anxiousness, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. It was predicted that high and low authoritarian Ss, and high and low trait anxiety (A-trait) Ss would report different amounts of A-state arousal as a function of ego threat. Ss were divided into 2 groups of high and low authoritarians and performed a task under ego-threat (failure) or physical-threat (shock) conditions. A post hoc split of Ss' A-trait scores provided A-state data on high vs low A-trait under threat conditions. Ego threat and physical threat both produced A-state arousal. Physical threat created greater A-state arousal than ego threat for high A-trait Ss. Contrary to W. F. Hodges's 1968 findings, under physical threat high A-trait Ss reported greater A-state arousal than low A-trait Ss. C. D. Spielburger's trait-state anxiety theory is compared with N. S. Endler and J. McV. Hunt's interaction model of anxiety. (French summary) (38 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Early recollections related to anxiety and introversion-extroversion.

The relationship between personality characteristics and early recollections (ERs) was investigated. The hypotheses were that a consistent relationship would be established (a) between Taylor Manifest Anxiety (MA) Scale scores and the anxiety content of ERs, and (b) between R scale scores of the Inventory of Factors STDCR and the introversion-extroversion (I-E) content of ERs. The significant findings indicate that ERs have some utility in evaluating personality characteristics. The nonsignificant judges' I-E ratings and the less reliable judges' I-E ratings indicate that I-E features of ERs are more difficult to evaluate than anxiety features. The agreement between Ss' I-E ratings and their R scale scores suggests that they may have approached both tasks in a similar manner. Adler's position, that ERs reflect Ss' style of life, receives some support from the study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Vicarious anxiety: A systematic evaluation of a vicarious threat to self-esteem.

Investigated in 3 studies, Ss' state anxiety arousal in response to an in vivo vicarious threat to self-esteem. In Studies 1 and 2, a total of 70 undergraduates were exposed to a guest speaker who provided the anxiety manipulation. All Ss completed R. Hogan's empathy scale (see record 1969-12966-001), the Adult Norwicki-Strickland Internal–External Control Scale, and the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory. In addition, Ss in Study 2 also completed the Defense Mechanism Inventory. Inboth Studies, correlation and median split analyses indicated that high empathic and low trait anxious Ss reported elevated state anxiety in response to the vicarious threat. When Ss were matched on initial state anxiety, high empathy Ss were found to have experienced vicarious anxiety, whereas Ss low on empathy did not. In addition to replicating Study 1, Study 2 found that the Helplessness factor of locus of control was significantly negatively related to empathy, and the cognitive reappraisal styles of reversal (denial, reaction formation) and projection were related to state anxiety decreases. Study 3 with 14 undergraduates provided evidence for the absence of a confound. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hemispheric laterality and memory bias for threat in anxiety disorder.

Examined auditory perceptual asymmetries and explicit memory biases for threat in patients with panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder relative to healthy control Ss. They did not find a greater explicit memory bias for threat in the anxiety patients. However, explicit memory biases for threat were associated with perceptual asymmetry scores; patients with a greater right-ear (left hemisphere) advantage exhibited an explicit memory bias for threat material, whereas patients with a lower right-ear advantage displayed apparent cognitive avoidance of threat material. Memory for threat words was unrelated to perceptual asymmetry in healthy control Ss. These findings suggest that neuropsychological variables may partly determine the degree to which anxiety patients process threatening stimuli. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Achievement performance related to achievement motivation and text anxiety.

Assessed achievement motivation, test anxiety, and performance on a standardized reading test among 43 male and 36 female 7th and 8th graders. 2 achievement test formats were employed: an ascending item-difficulty sequence and a random order. Results indicate that performance was not related to the type of test format. For both male and female Ss, reading performance was positively related to achievement motivation and negatively related to test anxiety. Learning vs. performance explanations of these findings were examined, and a relatively new measure of achievement motivation was briefly discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of stress and anxiety on the processing of threat stimuli.

Two experiments extended the work of C. MacLeod and A. Mathews (see record 1989-23867-001) and examined whether a cognitive bias for threat information is a function of state or trait anxiety. Color-naming and attention deployment tasks were used to assess the effects of a stress manipulation procedure on attentional responses in high and low trait anxious Ss. Ss under high stress selectively allocated processing resources toward threat stimuli, irrespective of their trait anxiety level. There was no consistent evidence of a cognitive bias associated with trait anxiety, and the effect of the stress manipulation did not apppear to be mediated by state anxiety. It was suggested that trait factors do not modify attentional biases associated with acute stress but may influence such biases when stress is prolonged. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prepared for the worst: Readiness to acquire threat bias and susceptibility to elevate trait anxiety.

Although people differ in their susceptibility to elevate trait anxiety in response to extended stress, little is known about the cognitive substrate of this particular individual difference. We report three studies designed to evaluate the hypothesis that individual differences in readiness to acquire an attentional bias toward threat cues, in response to a contingency that makes the acquisition of such a bias adaptive, underlie individual differences in susceptibility to elevate trait anxiety in response to extended stress. Our findings confirm that the ease with which such a threat bias can be transiently evoked by experimental conditions that encourage its acquisition predicts the degree to which trait anxiety later becomes elevated by extended exposure to a mild stressor. Furthermore, this reflects the fact that such early measures of attentional bias plasticity predict the later naturalistic acquisition of attentional bias in response to subsequent stress, which in turn is associated with a consequent increase in trait anxiety level. These findings are consistent with our proposed account of individual differences in susceptibility to elevate trait anxiety in response to stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of anxiety and threat on the solution of a difficult task.

"Two variables were manipulated in this research, anxiety and experimental instructions administered prior to the subjects' performance on a series of anagrams high in difficulty level. Three measures of anxiety were used: the Test Anxiety Scale (TAS) [Sarason, 1958], the Lack of Protection Scale (LP) [Sarason, 1958], and Bendig's version of the Manifest Anxiety Scale (MAS) [Bendig, 1956]. The two sets of instructions differed in that one set was designed to pose a personal threat to the subject and the other set was designed to reassure the subject. The results showed that TAS and LP, but not MAS, significantly interacted with the instructions." From Psyc Abstracts 36:01:3HK65S. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The interaction model of anxiety and the threat of Quebec's separation from Canada.

The interaction model of anxiety was investigated by assessing trait and state anxiety in students at a Canadian university during the Quebec referendum. The results of Study 1 confirmed that the threat of separation by Quebec from Canada was perceived as an ambiguous, uncertain situation. In Study 2, reactions to this situation were assessed by having participants complete measures of anxiety and situation perception at Time 1 (i.e., 3 hr before the event) and Time 2 (i.e., 1 week after the vote). The results provide support for the interaction model; individuals who were high in trait anxiety in ambiguous situations and appraised the referendum situation as threatening were characterized by elevated state anxiety before the uncertain outcome of the vote. The results illustrate the need to examine trait anxiety and specific appraisals of situational threat in uncertain life situations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpretation bias in social anxiety as detected by event-related brain potentials.

Little is known about psychophysiological correlates of interpretation bias in social anxiety. To address this issue, the authors measured event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in high and low socially anxious individuals during a task wherein ambiguous scenarios were resolved with either a positive or negative ending. Specifically, the authors examined modulations of the P600, an ERP that peaks approximately 600 ms following stimulus onset and indexes violations of expectancy. Low-anxious individuals were characterized by an increased P600 to negative in comparison with positive sentence endings, suggesting a positive interpretation bias. In contrast, the high-anxious group evidenced equivalent P600 magnitude for negative and positive sentence endings, suggesting a lack of positive interpretation bias. Similar, but less reliable results emerged in earlier time windows, that is, 200-500 ms poststimulus. Reaction time, occurring around 900 ms poststimulus, failed to show a reliable interpretation bias. Results suggest that ERPs can detect interpretation biases in social anxiety before the emission of behavioral responses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personal construct threat and irrational beliefs as cognitive predictors of increases in musical performance anxiety.

Conducted 2 studies based on constructs derived from G. A. Kelly's (1955) personal construct theory and A. Ellis's (1962) rational emotive therapy to measure the predictability of anxiety using Kelly's measure of threat and Ellis's measure of irrational beliefs. In Exp I, 33 college music majors were tested at the beginning of the academic quarter and 3 days prior to their required music juries. In Exp II, 29 music majors were tested using the same format. In both experiments analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that Kelly's threat scores and scores on the irrational belief questionnaire predicted increases in scores on the anxiety inventory. Findings are consistent with the personal construct theory of threat and support its predictive validity to measure threat and anxiety about music performances. Findings also suggest the utility of irrational beliefs in understanding musical performance anxiety. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of a positive emotional state on interpretation bias for threat in children with anxiety disorders.

The authors examined the effect of a positive emotional state on interpretation bias for threat in children with anxiety disorders. Participants were 34 children with anxiety disorders and 34 children without any psychological disorders who were randomly assigned to either a positive or neutral emotion induction condition. Consistent with the broaden-and-build theory, children with anxiety disorders exhibited an interpretation bias for threat, but not when they were in a positive emotional state. Furthermore, results indicated that positive emotional state made a unique prediction of interpretation bias score, whereas state anxiety did not. Findings are discussed with reference to theory, clinical implications, and suggestions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of negative feedback, threat of shock, and level of trait anxiety on the arousal of two components of anxiety.

Investigated the effects of threat of failure and threat of shock on the state anxiety reactions of 175 male undergraduates differing in level of trait anxiety. Consistent with the worry-emotionality distinction, worry scores were aroused only in the failure-threat situation, while emotionality scores tended to be elevated only in the shock-threat condition. Contrary to predictions derived from Spielberger's 1966 State-Trait anxiety theory, A-state scores were higher for high A-trait Ss than for low A-trait Ss in all groups. The prediction of a relationship between A-trait and worry scores was not supported. (17 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mother and child interpretations of threat in ambiguous situations: Relations with child anxiety and autonomic responding.

This study examined maternal and child interpretive bias to threat (IBT) during dyadic conversation, child physiological reactivity and regulation during dyadic conversation, and maternal report of child anxiety in a community sample of 35 mothers and their 8- to 10-year-old children. Mothers and children discussed one neutral and six ambiguous scenarios, which were subsequently coded for frequency of maternal and child initiation, minimization, and expansion of threat-related themes. Child electrocardiogram data were collected during these conversations and maternal reports of child anxiety and internalizing problems were obtained. Across the sample, children initiated threat-related discussion more often than mothers. Maternal threat expansions were significantly positively correlated with child anxiety and internalizing behaviors. Maternal minimizations of threat were significantly associated with augmented child vagal tone throughout the IBT paradigm. Implications for prevention of child anxiety and directions for extending IBT research within the context of the mother–child dyad are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

GSR conditioning in anxiety states, normals, and chronic functional schizophrenic subjects.

"Conditioning of the GSR to electric shock in 60 hospitalized anxiety states, 60 normal controls, and 60 chronic functional schizophrenics yielded the following… [results]: With magnitude of response (in log conductance units) during experimental extinction as an indirect measure of strength of conditioning, and anxiety Ss showed significantly stronger conditioning than both the normal and schizophrenic Ss, the difference in response magnitude being some increasing function of the number of extinction trials, as shown by a significant interaction term." (28 ref.) From Psyc Abstracts 36:01:1HK83H. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of anxiety, threat, and racial environment on task performance of Negro college students.

This study dealt with the effect on Negro efficiency of variations in degree of stress and in the race of other persons in the task situation. 115 Negro students at Fisk University performed individually a digit-letter substitution task in the presence of an administrator and a confederate posing as another S, both of whom were either white or Negro. In addition, Ss were told to expect either mild or strong nonavoidance electric shocks while working. The main findings, that (a) performance was better in White-Mild Threat than in Negro-Mild Threat, and (b) Strong Threat, as compared with Mild Threat, was more detrimental to performance in the White condition than in the Negro condition, are consistent with the hypothesis of an inverted U shaped relationship between arousal and performance. In addition, there was evidence of an inverted U shaped function between Manifest Anxiety scale scores and 1st trial performance in the White condition. The results have implications for interpreting various types of Negro performance including scores on intellectual tests in racially mixed environments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)