Anxiety and cognitive performance: Attentional control theory.
DOI: 10.1037/1528-3542.7.2.336
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Summary
This paper introduces Attentional Control Theory (ACT), a theoretical framework developed by Eysenck, Derakshan, Santos, and Calvo to explain the effects of anxiety on cognitive performance. ACT represents a significant evolution of the earlier Processing Efficiency Theory, addressing its limitations by providing a more precise account of how anxiety disrupts specific executive functions. The primary motivation for this theory is to resolve inconsistencies in previous research, particularly regarding why anxious individuals often maintain comparable performance quality (effectiveness) to non-anxious individuals despite experiencing cognitive interference. The authors focus on anxiety within normal populations, examining individual differences in trait anxiety and state anxiety induced by situational stress. The theoretical foundation of ACT posits that anxiety impairs the functioning of the goal-directed attentional system while increasing the influence of the stimulus-driven attentional system. This shift reduces attentional control, a key function of the central executive in working memory. Specifically, ACT identifies two central executive functions most adversely affected by anxiety: inhibition (the ability to resist distraction from task-irrelevant stimuli) and shifting (the ability to switch between tasks or mental sets). The theory assumes that worry, a component of state anxiety, consumes working memory resources, leading to processing inefficiency. However, anxious individuals often employ compensatory strategies, such as increased effort and the use of auxiliary processing resources, to maintain performance effectiveness. Consequently, while the quality of performance may remain intact, the efficiency—defined as the relationship between performance quality and resource expenditure—is significantly reduced. The authors evaluate empirical evidence supporting ACT’s hypotheses, drawing from studies involving self-report measures, psychophysiological data, and incentive manipulations. Evidence indicates that high-anxious individuals expend greater mental effort than low-anxious individuals to achieve comparable levels of performance, particularly on tasks demanding high working memory capacity. For instance, studies on reading comprehension show that high-anxious individuals utilize compensatory strategies like reading regressions and articulatory rehearsal to offset cognitive interference. Furthermore, research demonstrates that anxiety increases susceptibility to distraction, especially when distracting stimuli are threat-related. The impairment of inhibition and shifting functions is more pronounced under conditions of high working memory load, supporting the theory’s prediction that anxiety disrupts the balance between goal-directed and stimulus-driven attentional systems. The significance of Attentional Control Theory lies in its ability to provide a unified explanation for the complex relationship between anxiety and cognition. By distinguishing between processing efficiency and performance effectiveness, ACT clarifies why anxious individuals can perform adequately on cognitive tasks despite experiencing internal interference. The theory highlights the critical role of attentional control, specifically inhibition and shifting, in mediating the adverse effects of anxiety. This framework not only integrates previous findings but also offers specific directions for future research, emphasizing the need to examine how anxiety affects lower-level executive functions and the neural mechanisms underlying attentional control. Ultimately, ACT provides a robust theoretical basis for understanding how emotional states influence cognitive processing, with implications for both psychological theory and practical interventions aimed at improving cognitive performance in anxious individuals.
Key finding
Anxiety impairs the efficiency of cognitive processing by disrupting attentional control and central executive functions, leading to increased resource expenditure without necessarily reducing performance effectiveness.
Methodology
review
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- Theoretical Contribution: theory or model