Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

4-2022

Abstract

Despite the well-documented negative effects of anxiety on task-switching (switch costs), few studies have directly tested major theoretical assumptions about (a) the specific processing component of task-switching that is impaired by anxiety, (b) anxious individuals’ strategies during task-switching, and (c) the mediating role of mind wandering in the relation between anxiety and task-switching. We addressed these issues using a stochastic diffusion model analysis and novel thought-probe technique in the task-switching paradigm. Our results suggest that the locus of impaired switch costs under state anxiety lies in the efficiency of task-set reconfiguration and not in proactive interference processing. Moreover, state anxiety was associated with impaired mixing costs, which are another crucial index of task-switching. We found only partial evidence for anxious individuals’ proneness to compensatory strategies during task-switching. However, no evidence was found for a mediating role of task-unrelated thoughts and a moderating role of working memory in the relation between anxiety and task-switching. Our findings elucidate theoretical assumptions underlying anxiety and cognitive functioning.

Keywords

Anxiety, task-switching, stochastic diffusion model, switch costs, mixing costs

Discipline

Applied Behavior Analysis | Social Psychology

Research Areas

Psychology

Publication

Emotion

Volume

22

Issue

3

First Page

493

Last Page

510

ISSN

1528-3542

Identifier

10.1037/emo0000935

Publisher

American Psychological Association

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000935

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