| The Effect of Different Levels of Anxiety on Low and High Task-switching Paradigm in Novices |
| Paper ID : 1221-SPORTCONGRESS (R1) |
| Authors |
|
زهرا سهرابی1, مهین عقدایی2, Maryam Khalaji *3 1گروه علوم رفتاری شناختی و فناوری در ورزش، دانشکده علوم ورزشی و تندرستی، دانشگاه شهید بهشتی، تهران 2گروه علوم شناختی و رفتاری و فناوری در ورزش، دانشکده علوم ورزشی و تندرستی، دانشگاه شهید بهشتی، تهران 3Department of Sport Coaching, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: Attentional Control Theory (ACT) posits that anxiety disrupts cognitive function by weakening top-down, goal-directed attentional control while amplifying bottom-up, stimulus-driven influences (Wu et al., 2021). This results in a pronounced attentional bias toward threat-related stimuli (Dudeney, Sharpe, & Hunt, 2015). The theory further specifies that anxiety's detrimental impact on processing efficiency is primarily mediated by its impairment of two core executive functions: inhibition and shifting (Zainal & Newman, 2022). Participants with varying anxiety levels completed cognitive tasks that differed in their switching demands (switching vs. non-switching). Each trial was either explicitly cued or uncued. In this regard, this study aimed to investigate the effect of different levels of anxiety on low and high task-switching paradigms in novices Methods: The study recruited 24 students (aged 18 to 30) according to convenience sampling. Before the experimental session, participants completed the trait version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. State anxiety was assessed using the short form of the STAI state scale. Participants who had high trait anxiety were excluded from the study. They were divided into two groups. low anxiety and high anxiety. The anxiety intervention was performed. Participants performed a color-shape task to assess switching before and after the anxiety intervention (Derakshan et al., 2009). Results: A significant interaction between groups and conditions was found (p<.05). The comparison of means percentage of response accuracy and response reaction time revealed that the high anxiety group (68.17±9.12) revealed lower accuracy than the low anxiety group (85±6.62). Also, the high anxiety group exhibited longer RT (537±48.12) than low anxiety group (471±20.73). Conclusion: This study provides empirical support for Attentional Control Theory, demonstrating that elevated anxiety levels significantly impair cognitive performance in a task-switching paradigm (Wu et al., 2021, Derakshan et al., 2009). These results indicate a disruption in processing efficiency and attentional control. |
| Keywords |
| Anxiety, Attention, Attentional control theory, Shifting |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
