Bias in interpretation of ambiguous sentences related to threat in anxiety.
In the 1st of 2 experiments, currently clinically anxious, recovered clinically anxious, and normal control subjects were presented with a mixture of unambiguous and ambiguous sentences; both threatening and nonthreatening interpretations were possible for the latter. A subsequent recognition-memory test indicated that the currently anxious subjects were more likely than normal control and recovered anxious subjects to interpret the ambiguous sentences in a threatening fashion rather than in a nonthreatening fashion. This suggests that the biased interpretation of ambiguity found in currently anxious subjects reflected their anxious mood state. A 2nd experiment established that the difference in interpretative processes between currently anxious and control subjects was not due to response bias and that the interpretative bias was a reasonably general one.
Eysenck
M W
MW
Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, University of London, Egham Hill, Egham Surrey, United Kingdom.
Mogg
K
K
May
J
J
Richards
A
A
Mathews
A
A
D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003118:Color Perception; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time; D012660:Semantics