Abstract
Eysenck (1992) argues that high trait-anxious subjects are more likely to show a general susceptibility to distraction in anxious mood states, especially if the distracting material resembles the task stimuli. Unfortunately there is little direct evidence that supports this view. The present experiment therefore attempted to test Eysenck's proposition by modifying a test of distractibility for letters on a letter-transformation task, as originally devised by Eysenck and Graydon (1989), to incorporate a mood manipulation. Although high trait-anxious subjects were found to be generally more impaired than controls by the mood manipulation, they did not display greater susceptibility to distraction from task-similar material. These results are discussed in relation to current theoretical models of anxiety and cognitive processing.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 141-149 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Personality and Individual Differences |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Feb 1997 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology(all)
Cite this
The effects of mood manipulation and trait anxiety on susceptibility to distraction. / Keogh, Edmund; French, Christopher C.
In: Personality and Individual Differences, Vol. 22, No. 2, 01.02.1997, p. 141-149.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of mood manipulation and trait anxiety on susceptibility to distraction
AU - Keogh, Edmund
AU - French, Christopher C.
PY - 1997/2/1
Y1 - 1997/2/1
N2 - Eysenck (1992) argues that high trait-anxious subjects are more likely to show a general susceptibility to distraction in anxious mood states, especially if the distracting material resembles the task stimuli. Unfortunately there is little direct evidence that supports this view. The present experiment therefore attempted to test Eysenck's proposition by modifying a test of distractibility for letters on a letter-transformation task, as originally devised by Eysenck and Graydon (1989), to incorporate a mood manipulation. Although high trait-anxious subjects were found to be generally more impaired than controls by the mood manipulation, they did not display greater susceptibility to distraction from task-similar material. These results are discussed in relation to current theoretical models of anxiety and cognitive processing.
AB - Eysenck (1992) argues that high trait-anxious subjects are more likely to show a general susceptibility to distraction in anxious mood states, especially if the distracting material resembles the task stimuli. Unfortunately there is little direct evidence that supports this view. The present experiment therefore attempted to test Eysenck's proposition by modifying a test of distractibility for letters on a letter-transformation task, as originally devised by Eysenck and Graydon (1989), to incorporate a mood manipulation. Although high trait-anxious subjects were found to be generally more impaired than controls by the mood manipulation, they did not display greater susceptibility to distraction from task-similar material. These results are discussed in relation to current theoretical models of anxiety and cognitive processing.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031068119&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0191-8869(96)00211-5
DO - 10.1016/S0191-8869(96)00211-5
M3 - Article
VL - 22
SP - 141
EP - 149
JO - Personality and Individual Differences
JF - Personality and Individual Differences
SN - 0191-8869
IS - 2
ER -