Abstract
The attentional control theory (ACT) proposes that trait anxiety disrupts functional efficiency of executive control of attention relating to working memory system such as shifting. ACT also emphasizes the modulatory role of motivation in anxiety on cognitive task performance. The present study investigated the association of trait anxiety-related inefficiencies in attentional shift and working memory performance in conjunction with the level of motivation. A variation of complex span paradigm is designed to systematically manipulate the time constraint on shifting attentional focus back and forth between working memory contents and processing task was used in this study. In the experiment, participants high and low in trait anxiety were allocated either high or low motivation induction conditions, and performed a series of complex span tasks. They also completed a state anxiety measure before and after the experimental task. Motivational states were assessed by the pupil dilation, which is known to reflect the amount of cognitive effort invested on the task at hand. Results showed that, only in low motivation condition, high trait-anxious individuals exhibited greater difficulty, relative to those low in trait anxiety, in maintaining working memory contents as the task demand increased. State anxiety showed no relation to working memory performance regardless of the level of motivation and task demands. Pupillary responses revealed that, in high motivational state, high trait-anxious individuals invested more effort than those low in trait anxiety when the task demand was low, F(1, 132) = 6.65, p = 0.0110, to moderate, F(1, 132) = 8.441, p = 0.00043. In accordance with ACT, these findings suggest that motivation can modulate the association between trait anxiety and cognitive performance along with the levels of task demand. Clinical implication is briefly discussed.
Highlights
In current psychological theory, anxiety is conceptualized as two types: trait and state anxiety [1]
Eysenck and colleagues put forward the cognitive accounts of anxiety-related attentional alteration called attentional control theory (ACT) [2] [3], which posits that elevated levels of trait anxiety decrease the functional efficiency of executive control of attention implemented by the central executive component of working memory (WM) [4] [5], along with the hypervigilance in sensory-perceptual processing
Based on the previous studies such as [8] [9], they were divided into two groups according to whether their trait anxiety scores were above the median value or below, as measured by the trait subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) [26] [27]
Summary
Anxiety is conceptualized as two types: trait and state anxiety [1]. Eysenck and colleagues put forward the cognitive accounts of anxiety-related attentional alteration called attentional control theory (ACT) [2] [3], which posits that elevated levels of trait anxiety decrease the functional efficiency of executive control of attention implemented by the central executive component of working memory (WM) [4] [5], along with the hypervigilance in sensory-perceptual processing. ACT argues that modulatory effect of motivation on cognitive performance must be considered when examining the association of trait anxiety and cognitive function. According to ACT, high trait-anxious individuals can be more apprehensive about their performance [6], which motivates them to invest more cognitive effort on a task at hand
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