Back to Search
Start Over
Anxiety and cognitive performance: attentional control theory.
- Source :
-
Emotion (Washington, D.C.) [Emotion] 2007 May; Vol. 7 (2), pp. 336-53. - Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- Attentional control theory is an approach to anxiety and cognition representing a major development of Eysenck and Calvo's (1992) processing efficiency theory. It is assumed that anxiety impairs efficient functioning of the goal-directed attentional system and increases the extent to which processing is influenced by the stimulus-driven attentional system. In addition to decreasing attentional control, anxiety increases attention to threat-related stimuli. Adverse effects of anxiety on processing efficiency depend on two central executive functions involving attentional control: inhibition and shifting. However, anxiety may not impair performance effectiveness (quality of performance) when it leads to the use of compensatory strategies (e.g., enhanced effort; increased use of processing resources). Directions for future research are discussed.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1528-3542
- Volume :
- 7
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Emotion (Washington, D.C.)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 17516812
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.7.2.336