Experimentally induced and real-world anxiety have no demonstrable effect on goal-directed behaviour.
Psychol Med
; 51(9): 1467-1478, 2021 07.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32114998
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Goal-directed control guides optimal decision-making and it is an important cognitive faculty that protects against developing habits. Previous studies have found some evidence of goal-directed deficits when healthy individuals are stressed, and in psychiatric conditions characterised by compulsive behaviours and anxiety. Here, we tested if goal-directed control is affected by state anxiety, which might explain the former results.METHODS:
We carried out a causal test of this hypothesis in two experiments (between-subject N = 88; within-subject N = 50) that used the inhalation of hypercapnic gas (7.5% CO2) to induce an acute state of anxiety in healthy volunteers. In a third experiment (N = 1413), we used a correlational design to test if real-life anxiety-provoking events (panic attacks, stressful events) are associated with impaired goal-directed control.RESULTS:
In the former two causal experiments, we induced a profoundly anxious state, both physiologically and psychologically, but this did not affect goal-directed performance. In the third, correlational, study, we found no evidence for an association between goal-directed control, panic attacks or stressful life eventsover and above variance accounted for by trait differences in compulsivity.CONCLUSIONS:
In sum, three complementary experiments found no evidence that anxiety impairs goal-directed control in human subjects.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Ansiedade
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Objetivos
Limite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Psychol Med
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Irlanda