title: Implicit and explicit associations in the fear structure of social anxiety.
abstract: Summary.-Implicit associations in the fear structure of social anxiety were investigated and their relations with explicit associations were examined in the present study. The Implicit Association Test was used to assess implicit associations. Individuals scoring High (n = 26) and Low (n = 18) on Social Anxiety completed two forms of the Implicit Association Test and rated the probability and cost of negative social outcomes. Analyses showed an implicit association between anxiety responses and negative evaluations was more strongly formed in the High Social Anxiety group than in the Low Social Anxiety group. Furthermore, relations between implicit associations and explicit measures were minimal. These findings suggested that the Implicit Association Test is suitable for the assessment of implicit associations in the fear structure of social anxiety, and that implicit associations of social anxiety are relatively independent of explicit associations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavior Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Japan. sasako896@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwanaga
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanai
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Seiwa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001244:Association; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D012931:Social Environment; D012938:Social Perception; D055815:Young Adult