Abstract
Cognitive control is a construct that prioritizes how we process stimuli and information to flexibly and efficiently adapt to internal goals and external environmental changes. The Dual Mechanism of Control (DMC) theory delineates two distinct cognitive control operations: proactive control and reactive control (Braver, 2012). Anxiety has been posited to differentially affect proactive and reactive control, due to its influence on working memory and attention allocation (Eysenck et al., 2007; Fales et al., 2008). However, no study has yet directly compared the influence of anxiety on proactive and reactive control in the same individuals. In this study, we examined how state anxiety affected proactive control, using the AX-continuous performance task (AX-CPT), and reactive control, using the classic Stroop task. Based on theory and previous investigations, we expected that state anxiety would enhance reactive control but impair proactive control. Consistent with our predictions, we found that state anxiety, induced with a threat of shock manipulation, inhibited proactive control on the AX-CPT test, but increased reactive control in the Stroop task. Anxiety may impair proactive control in contexts requiring goal maintenance by occupying limited working memory capacity, whereas it may enhance reactive control via facilitated attention allocation to threat and engaging the conflict monitoring system to quickly modify behavior.
Highlights
Cognitive control is defined as the coordination and regulation of thoughts to respond appropriately to salient stimuli in the environment and to maintain focus on goal-directed behavior (Braver, 2012)
There was a significant main effect for Task, F(1,60) = 30.32, p < 0.001, and a Task × Condition interaction, F(1,60) = 4.387, p = 0.04, which showed that anxiety ratings were higher for the Stroop than the AX-continuous performance task (AX-CPT) task, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.336, and that the increase in anxiety for threat vs. safe was greater for the AX-CPT than the Stroop, t(60) = 2.10, p = 0.04
We found that state anxiety differentially impacted proactive and reactive cognitive control
Summary
Cognitive control is defined as the coordination and regulation of thoughts to respond appropriately to salient stimuli in the environment and to maintain focus on goal-directed behavior (Braver, 2012). It includes attention, inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, planning, reasoning and problem solving (Chan et al, 2008; Diamond, 2013). Cognitive control is essential for adaptive behavior as it facilitates response to biologically meaningful stimuli, filtering of task-irrelevant information, multitasking and overriding prepotent responses (Miller and Cohen, 2001; Braver, 2012; Enriquez-Geppert et al, 2013). Cognitive control is necessary for us to react to important stimuli quickly (such as avoiding danger) and to override distracting task-irrelevant stimuli to stay on task to achieve internal goals.
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