The effects of anxiety on attentional processes in older adults.
This study explored one cognitive component of anxiety-selective attention to threat-among older adults. The effects of anxiety on attentional processes have not previously been studied in older adults under laboratory conditions. A novel age-appropriate mood induction technique was piloted for use with older participants. Sixty-eight older adults were randomly assigned to neutral or anxious mood induction conditions, and completed emotional Stroop and dot-probe tasks. Significant selective attention effects were found in older adults induced into an anxious mood. Results suggest that anxious older adults are at least as hyper-vigilant to mood congruent threatening information as has been shown with younger adults in other studies. These findings provide support for the application of these theories to older adults.
Fox
L S
LS
Andrus Gerontology Center and Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0191, USA. lsfox@rcf.usc.edu
Knight
B G
BG
D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001143:Arousal; D001288:Attention; D003118:Color Perception; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010153:Paired-Associate Learning; D011930:Reaction Time; D011932:Reading; D012660:Semantics; D012718:Set, Psychology