title: Enhanced Stroop interference for threat in social phobia.
abstract: Socially anxious individuals are characterized by an attentional bias for threat-related information. However, this attentional bias to threat may be attenuated [Behav. Res. Ther. 34 (1996) 945] when these individuals are anxious. In the present study, we attempted to increase subjects' Stroop interference by changing the frequency of words to nonwords. We hypothesized that when the ratio of words to nonwords was low, individuals with social phobia (SPs) would show increased Stroop interference, but only for words related to social threat. Results were consistent with this hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens 30602-3013, USA. amir@egon.psy.uga.edu
authors.forename: Nader
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ami
authors.forename: Melinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freshman
authors.forename: Edna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Foa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001288:Attention; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003118:Color Perception; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D011932:Reading