Cognitive set and level of anxiety: Effects on thinking processes in problematic situations

Abstract

Subjects' thinking processes and reactions to manipulation of initial thoughts were studied in four types of problematic situations through the use of the thought-listing technique. Subjects were asked to list their thoughts in response to written vignettes. They were randomly assigned to receive one of three types of cognitive set: an initial positive thought, an initial negative thought, or no initial prompt. Thoughts were coded on valence and content/function dimensions (facilitative vs. debilitative; self-referent, attitude, or problem-solving). Manipulation of cognitive set appeared to have little influence on later thoughts, although different types of thoughts were listed more often in certain situations than in others. Prior to the study, subjects completed a number of self-report inventories of social-evaluative anxiety and assertion. Fear of negative evaluation was predictive of subjects' thoughts across situations and was also highly related to other questionnaires. These findings suggest that a concern with negative evaluations by others (perhaps a construct similar to public self-consciousness) may be a common factor in social-evaluative anxiety.