Cited by 214Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesMemory and Neural Mechanisms

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 118 of the 121 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Intolerance of uncertainty: Neural and psychophysiological correlates of the perception of uncertainty as threatening

Tanovic, Ema, Gee, Dylan G., Joormann, Jutta·2018·Clinical Psychology Review

DOI 10.1016/j.cpr.2018.01.001

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) reflects the perception of uncertainty as threatening, regardless of the true probability of threat. IU is elevated in various forms of psychopathology, uniquely associated with anxiety and depression symptoms after controlling for related constructs, and prospectively predicts symptoms. Given the ubiquity of uncertainty in daily life and the clinical implications of IU, recent work has begun to investigate the neural and psychophysiological correlates of IU. This review summarizes the existing literature and integrates findings within a mechanistic neural model of responding to uncertainty. IU is associated with heightened reactivity to uncertainty reflected in greater activity of the anterior insula and amygdala, alterations in neural responses to rewards and errors evident in event-related potentials, a mixed pattern of startle responses to uncertain threat, and deficiencies in safety learning indexed by startle and skin conductance responding. These findings provide evidence of disruptions in several domains of responding to uncertainty, threat, and reward associated with IU that may confer risk for the development of psychopathology. Significant attention is devoted to recommendations for future research, including consideration of the complex interplay of IU with emotion regulation, cognitive control, and reward processing.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.cpr.2018.01.001

Cites

118 of 118 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

A theory of Pavlovian conditioning : Variations in the effectiveness of reinforcement and nonreinforcement
Rescorla, R. A. (1972) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 7,268
Classical conditioning II: Current research and theory.
Black, A. H., & Prokasy, W. F. (1972) · Appleton-Century-Crofts eBooks · Cited by 4,449
Prevalence and development of psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence
Costello, E. J., Mustillo, S., Erkanli, A., Keeler, G., & Angold, A. (2003) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.60.8.837 · Cited by 4,035
Heart rate variability: origins, methods, and interpretive caveats
BERNTSON, G. G., THOMAS BIGGER, J., ECKBERG, D. L., GROSSMAN, P., KAUFMANN, P. G., MALIK, M., NAGARAJA, H. N., PORGES, S. W., SAUL, J. P., STONE, P. H., et al. (1997) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.1997.tb02140.x · Cited by 3,962
A meta-analysis of heart rate variability and neuroimaging studies: implications for heart rate variability as a marker of stress and health
Thayer, J. F., Åhs, F., Fredrikson, M., Sollers, J. J., & Wager, T. D. (2012) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.11.009 · Cited by 3,224
A model of neurovisceral integration in emotion regulation and dysregulation
Thayer, J. F., & Lane, R. D. (2000) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/s0165-0327(00)00338-4 · Cited by 3,092
A model for Pavlovian learning: Variations in the effectiveness of conditioned but not of unconditioned stimuli.
Pearce, J. M., & Hall, G. (1980) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/0033-295x.87.6.532 · Cited by 3,023
The emotion probe: Studies of motivation and attention.
Lang, P. J. (1995) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037//0003-066x.50.5.372 · Cited by 2,876
The role of the amygdala in fear and anxiety
Davis, M. (1992) · Annual Review of Neuroscience · doi:10.1146/annurev.ne.15.030192.002033 · Cited by 2,357
Fearing the unknown: A short version of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale
Carleton, R. N., Norton, M. A. P. J., & Asmundson, G. J. G. (2007) · Journal of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2006.03.014 · Cited by 2,288

Show all 121 references

Research works printed but not linked: 1

Tanovic, E., Hajcak, G., & Joormann, J.. Hating waiting: Individual differences in willingness to wait in uncertainty. Journal of Experimental Psychopathology. (in press)

Sorted by citations

The impact of methodological and measurement factors on transdiagnostic associations with intolerance of uncertainty: a meta-analysis
McEvoy, P. M., Hyett, M. P., Shihata, S., Price, J. E., & Strachan, L. (2019) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2019.101778 · Cited by 271
Towards a model of uncertainty distress in the context of Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Freeston, M., Tiplady, A., Mawn, L., Bottesi, G., & Thwaites, S. (2020) · The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist · doi:10.1017/s1754470x2000029x · Cited by 221
Enablers and Inhibitors of AI-Powered Voice Assistants: A Dual-Factor Approach by Integrating the Status Quo Bias and Technology Acceptance Model
Balakrishnan, J., Dwivedi, Y. K., Hughes, L., & Boy, F. (2021) · Information Systems Frontiers · doi:10.1007/s10796-021-10203-y · Cited by 215
The role of intolerance of uncertainty in classical threat conditioning: Recent developments and directions for future research
Morriss, J., Zuj, D. V., & Mertens, G. (2021) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.05.011 · Cited by 116
COVID-19 pandemic and tourism: The impact of health risk perception and intolerance of uncertainty on travel intentions
Golets, A., Farias, J. E. M., Pilati, R., & Costa, H. A. (2021) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-021-02282-6 · Cited by 114
Uncertainty Makes Me Emotional: Uncertainty as an Elicitor and Modulator of Emotional States
Morriss, J., Tupitsa, E., Dodd, H. F., & Hirsch, C. R. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.777025 · Cited by 98
Anticipatory Threat Responding: Associations With Anxiety, Development, and Brain Structure
Abend, R., Gold, A. L., Britton, J. C., Michalska, K. J., Shechner, T., Sachs, J. F., Winkler, A. M., Leibenluft, E., Averbeck, B. B., & Pine, D. S. (2019) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.11.006 · Cited by 83
The uncertain brain: A co-ordinate based meta-analysis of the neural signatures supporting uncertainty during different contexts
Morriss, J., Gell, M., & van Reekum, C. M. (2018) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.12.013 · Cited by 76
Fear and anxiety in the face of COVID-19: Negative dispositions towards risk and uncertainty as vulnerability factors
Millroth, P., & Frey, R. (2021) · Journal of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2021.102454 · Cited by 88
Understanding anxiety symptoms as aberrant defensive responding along the threat imminence continuum
Abend, R. (2023) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105305 · Cited by 82
Video Game Design for Learning to Learn
Pasqualotto, A., Parong, J. A., Green, C. S., & Bavelier, D. (2022) · International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction · doi:10.1080/10447318.2022.2110684 · Cited by 92
Neural systems underlying reward cue processing in early adolescence: The role of puberty and pubertal hormones
Ladouceur, C. D., Kerestes, R., Schlund, M. W., Shirtcliff, E. A., Lee, Y., & Dahl, R. E. (2018) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.12.016 · Cited by 76
Cued for Risk: Evidence for an Incentive Sensitization Framework to Explain the Interplay between Stress and Anxiety, Substance Abuse, and Reward Uncertainty in Disordered Gambling Behavior
Hellberg, S. N., Russell, T. I., & Robinson, M. J. F. (2019) · Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.3758/s13415-018-00662-3 · Cited by 65
“…suggest highly overlapping neurobiological and psychological processing abnormalities in anxiety disorders that may generally encompass the attribution of value and recruitment of attention to valenced cues, rather than just threat cues (Gorka, Nelson, Phan, & Shankman, 2016; Tanovic et al., 2018).”
Adolescent anxiety disorders and the developing brain: comparing neuroimaging findings in adolescents and adults
Xie, S., Zhang, X., Cheng, W., & Yang, Z. (2021) · General Psychiatry · doi:10.1136/gpsych-2020-100411 · Cited by 78
Violating social distancing amid the COVID‐19 pandemic: Psychological factors to improve compliance
Farias, J. E. M., & Pilati, R. (2021) · Journal of Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/jasp.12853 · Cited by 60
I Doubt It Is Safe: A Meta-analysis of Self-reported Intolerance of Uncertainty and Threat Extinction Training
Morriss, J., Wake, S., Elizabeth, C., & van Reekum, C. M. (2021) · Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science · doi:10.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.05.011 · Cited by 52
“role of IU-related biases in threat extinction training and have clear implications for neurobiological models of uncertaintyrelated maintenance of anxiety (27,31,32) and future translational work aiming to target IU in exposure-based therapies (26).”
BackgroundInfluential
Intolerance of uncertainty and threat generalization: A replication and extension
Bauer, E., MacNamara, A., Sandre, A., Lonsdorf, T. B., Weinberg, A., Morriss, J., & van Reekum, C. M. (2020) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/psyp.13546 · Cited by 64
COVID-19 uncertainty and sleep: the roles of perceived stress and intolerance of uncertainty during the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak
Wu, D., Yang, T., Hall, D. L., Jiao, G., Huang, L., & Jiao, C. (2021) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s12888-021-03310-2 · Cited by 57
Intolerance of uncertainty heightens negative emotional states and dampens positive emotional states
Morriss, J., Goh, K., Hirsch, C. R., & Dodd, H. F. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1147970 · Cited by 62
Attention and anticipation in response to varying levels of uncertain threat: An ERP study
Tanovic, E., Pruessner, L., & Joormann, J. (2018) · Cognitive Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.3758/s13415-018-0632-2 · Cited by 58
Self-citation
Resilience: Safety in the Aftermath of Traumatic Stressor Experiences
Matheson, K., Asokumar, A., & Anisman, H. (2020) · Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2020.596919 · Cited by 75
Prospective intolerance of uncertainty is associated with maladaptive temporal distribution of avoidance responses: An extension of Flores, Lopez, Vervliet, and Cobos (2018)
Flores, A., López, F. J., Vervliet, B., & Cobos, P. L. (2020) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2019.101527 · Cited by 45
Towards a model of uncertainty distress in the context of Coronavirus (Covid-19)Preprint
Freeston, M. H., Tiplady, A., Mawn, L., Bottesi, G., & Thwaites, S. (2020) · PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/v8q6m · Cited by 43
Positivity effect in aging: Evidence for the primacy of positive responses to emotional ambiguity
Petro, N. M., Basyouni, R., & Neta, M. (2020) · Neurobiology of Aging · doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.06.015 · Cited by 42
What do I do now? Intolerance of uncertainty is associated with discrete patterns of anticipatory physiological responding to different contexts
Morriss, J. (2019) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/psyp.13396 · Cited by 42
Between Action and Emotional Survival During the COVID-19 era: Sensorimotor Pathways as Control Systems of Transdiagnostic Anxiety-Related Intolerance to Uncertainty
Goldstein Ferber, S., Shoval, G., Zalsman, G., Mikulincer, M., & Weller, A. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.680403 · Cited by 40
The Prevalence of Fear of Childbirth and Its Association With Intolerance of Uncertainty and Coping Styles Among Pregnant Chinese Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Han, L., Bai, H., Lun, B., Li, Y., Wang, Y., & Ni, Q. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.935760 · Cited by 41
Responding to uncertain threat: A potential mediator for the effect of mindfulness on anxiety
Papenfuss, I., Lommen, M. J. J., Grillon, C., Balderston, N. L., & Ostafin, B. D. (2021) · Journal of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102332 · Cited by 38
The role of threat level and intolerance of uncertainty in extinction
Morriss, J., Saldarini, F., & van Reekum, C. M. (2019) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.05.013 · Cited by 39
Neural and psychophysiological markers of intolerance of uncertainty.
Morriss, J., Abend, R., Zika, O., Bradford, D. E., & Mertens, G. (2023) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.01.003 · Cited by 38
Intolerance of uncertainty is associated with reduced attentional inhibition in the absence of direct threat
Morriss, J., & McSorley, E. (2019) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2019.03.011 · Cited by 37
Life goals and proactive career behaviors: The mediating role of visions about the future and the moderating role of intolerance of uncertainty
Doğanülkü, H. A. (2022) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-022-03236-2 · Cited by 37
Neural substrates of human fear generalization: A 7T-fMRI investigation
Huggins, A. A., Tomas, C. W., Parisi, E. A., Bennett, K. P., Miskovic, V., & Larson, C. L. (2021) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118308 · Cited by 31
Aversive response to uncertainty as a mediator for the effect of a mindfulness intervention on symptoms of anxiety
Papenfuss, I., Lommen, M. J. J., Huisman, M., & Ostafin, B. D. (2022) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.06.014 · Cited by 27
Psychological mechanisms underpinning change in intolerance of uncertainty across anxiety-related disorders: New insights for translational research
Morriss, J. (2025) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2025.106138 · Cited by 28
Psychometric properties of the brazilian intolerance of uncertainty scale – short version (Ius-12)
Kretzmann, R. P., & Gauer, G. (2020) · Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy · doi:10.1590/2237-6089-2018-0087 · Cited by 25
Revisiting uncertainty as a felt sense of unsafety: The somatic error theory of intolerance of uncertainty
Freeston, M. H., & Komes, J. (2022) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101827 · Cited by 37
Doomsday Prepping During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Smith, N., & Thomas, S. J. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.659925 · Cited by 32
Intolerance of uncertainty is associated with heightened responding in the prefrontal cortex during cue-signalled uncertainty of threat
Morriss, J., Bell, T., Biagi, N., Johnstone, T., & van Reekum, C. M. (2021) · Cognitive Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.3758/s13415-021-00932-7 · Cited by 28
Let's get specific about intolerance of uncertainty and emotion regulation
Morriss, J. (2023) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2023.112336 · Cited by 26
Trait Intolerance of Uncertainty Is Associated with Decreased Reappraisal Capacity and Increased Suppression Tendency
Shu, J., Ochsner, K. N., & Phelps, E. A. (2022) · Affective Science · doi:10.1007/s42761-022-00115-8 · Cited by 27
Intolerance of uncertainty and threat reversal: A conceptual replication of Morriss et al. (2019)
Mertens, G., & Morriss, J. (2020) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2020.103799 · Cited by 27
Your guess is as good as mine: A registered report assessing physiological markers of fear and anxiety to the unknown in individuals with varying levels of intolerance of uncertainty
Morriss, J., Biagi, N., & Dodd, H. F. (2020) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.07.009 · Cited by 25
Affective evaluation of others’ altruistic decisions under risk and ambiguity
Xiong, W., Gao, X., He, Z., Yu, H., Liu, H., & Zhou, X. (2020) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116996 · Cited by 24
Resting-state heart rate variability (HRV) mediates the association between perceived chronic stress and ambiguity avoidance
Jiryis, T., Magal, N., Fruchther, E., Hertz, U., & Admon, R. (2022) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-022-22584-4 · Cited by 29
Impact of Media-Induced Uncertainty on Mental Health: Narrative-Based Perspective.
Kesner, L., Juríčková, V., Grygarová, D., & Horáček, J. (2025) · JMIR Mental Health · doi:10.2196/68640 · Cited by 23
Reappraisal—but not Suppression—Tendencies Determine Negativity Bias After Laboratory and Real-World Stress Exposure
Raio, C. M., Harp, N. R., Brown, C., & Neta, M. (2021) · Affective Science · doi:10.1007/s42761-021-00059-5 · Cited by 28
Intolerance of uncertainty and physiological responses during instructed uncertain threat: A multi-lab investigation
Morriss, J., Bradford, D. E., Wake, S. J., Biagi, N., Tanovic, E., Kaye, J. T., & Joormann, J. (2021) · Biological Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108223 · Cited by 23
Self-citation
Some fear, more loathing? Threats and anxieties shaping protective gun ownership and gun carry in the U.S.
Warner, T. D., & Steidley, T. (2021) · Journal of Crime and Justice · doi:10.1080/0735648x.2021.1997787 · Cited by 24
Dealing with uncertainty: A high-density EEG investigation on how intolerance of uncertainty affects emotional predictions
Cristaldi, F. D. P., Mento, G., Sarlo, M., & Buodo, G. (2021) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0254045 · Cited by 24
Does educational stress mediate the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and academic life satisfaction in teenagers during the COVID‐19 pandemic?
Odacı, H., Kaya, F., & Aydın, F. (2022) · Psychology in the Schools · doi:10.1002/pits.22766 · Cited by 22
The role of emotion dysregulation and intolerance of uncertainty in autism: Transdiagnostic factors influencing co-occurring conditions
Conner, C. M., Kim, P. S., White, S. W., & Mazefsky, C. A. (2022) · Research in Developmental Disabilities · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104332 · Cited by 22
Anticipating the unknown: The stimulus-preceding negativity is enhanced by uncertain threat
Tanovic, E., & Joormann, J. (2019) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.03.009 · Cited by 21
Self-citation
I told you it was safe: Associations between intolerance of uncertainty and different parameters of uncertainty during instructed threat of shock
Morriss, J., Bennett, K. P., & Larson, C. L. (2020) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2020.101620 · Cited by 21
Interoceptive active inference and self-representation in social anxiety disorder (SAD): exploring the neurocognitive traits of the SAD self
Gerrans, P., & Murray, R. J. (2020) · Neuroscience of Consciousness · doi:10.1093/nc/niaa026 · Cited by 19
The Roles of Spiritual Well-being and Tolerance of Uncertainty in Prediction of Happiness in Elderly
Khodarahimi, S., Ghadampour, E., & Karami, A. (2021) · Anales de Psicología · doi:10.6018/analesps.446871 · Cited by 21
A rare scare: The role of intolerance of uncertainty in startle responses and event-related potentials in anticipation of unpredictable threat
Carsten, H. P., Härpfer, K., & Riesel, A. (2022) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.06.018 · Cited by 20
Intolerance of uncertainty and psychosis: A systematic review
Morriss, J., Butler, D., & Ellett, L. (2025) · British Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjc.12509 · Cited by 21
“…with higher self-reported intolerance of uncertainty, relative to lower self-reported intolerance of uncertainty, tend to interpret (Cupid et al., 2021; Pepperdine et al., 2018) and react to uncertainty negatively (for reviews, see Morriss et al., 2021; Sahib et al., 2023; Tanovic et al., 2018).”
State of the Science: Intolerance of Uncertainty
Dugas, M. J., Koerner, N., & Freeston, M. H. (2025) · Behavior Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.beth.2025.08.009 · Cited by 27
Reward processing in certain versus uncertain contexts in schizophrenia: An event-related potential (ERP) study.
Clayson, P. E., Wynn, J. K., Infantolino, Z. P., Hajcak, G., Green, M. F., & Horan, W. P. (2019) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/abn0000469 · Cited by 23
A digital self-help tool to promote mental well-being for Ukrainians affected by war - Assessing predictors of stress
Lahutina, S., Frankova, I., Gruen, M., Vermetten, E. H. G. J. M., Zohar, J., Spitschan, M., & Bajbouj, M. (2024) · Neuroscience Applied · doi:10.1016/j.nsa.2024.104089 · Cited by 32
Effects of intolerance of uncertainty on subjective and psychophysiological measures during fear acquisition and delayed extinction
Klingelhöfer-Jens, M., Morriss, J., & Lonsdorf, T. B. (2022) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.05.006 · Cited by 19
The relationship between social anxiety and self-injury of junior high school students: Mediation by intolerance of uncertainty and moderation by self-esteem
Yao, Z., Pang, L., Xie, J., Shi, S., & Ouyang, M. (2023) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1046729 · Cited by 19
Correlates of Dampening and Savoring in Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Malivoire, B. L., Marcotte-Beaumier, G., Sumantry, D. M., & Koerner, N. (2022) · International Journal of Cognitive Therapy · doi:10.1007/s41811-022-00145-x · Cited by 18
Uncertain in the face of change: Lack of contingency shift awareness during extinction is associated with higher fear-potentiated startle and PTSD symptoms in children
Jovanović, T., Wiltshire, C., Reda, M., France, J. M., Wanna, C., Minton, S. T., Davie, W., Grasser, L. R., Winters, S., Schacter, H. L., et al. (2022) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.06.008 · Cited by 18
The role of relief, perceived control, and prospective intolerance of uncertainty in excessive avoidance in uncertain-threat environments
Cobos, P. L., Quintero, M. J., Ruiz-Fuentes, M., Vervliet, B., & López, F. J. (2022) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.07.002 · Cited by 17
Using What We Know About Threat Reactivity Models to Understand Mental Health During the COVID-19 PandemicPreprint
Funkhouser, C. J., Klemballa, D. M., & Shankman, S. A. (2022) · PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2022.104082 · Cited by 19
Anxiety in autistic preschool children: Phenomenology and a network analysis of correlates
Vasa, R. A., Kerns, C. M., Singh, V., McDonald, R. G., Jang, Y. S., & Keefer, A. J. (2023) · Autism Research · doi:10.1002/aur.2968 · Cited by 16
Goal-Conflict EEG Theta and Biased Economic Decisions: A Role for a Second Negative Motivation System
Neo, P. S. ‐., Tinker, J., & McNaughton, N. (2020) · Frontiers in Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnins.2020.00342 · Cited by 18
Unbalanced functional connectivity at rest affects the ERP correlates of affective prediction in high intolerance of uncertainty individuals: A high density EEG investigation
Cristaldi, F. D. P., Buodo, G., Duma, G. M., Sarlo, M., & Mento, G. (2022) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.06.006 · Cited by 16
The Relationship Between Anxiety and Intolerance of Uncertainty Levels in Individuals Who Received Liver Transplant: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study
Yıldız, E. (2020) · Clinical Nursing Research · doi:10.1177/1054773820962918 · Cited by 15
The role of intolerance of uncertainty when solving the exploration-exploitation dilemma
Krypotos, A., Alves, M., Crombez, G., & Vlaeyen, J. W. S. (2022) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.08.001 · Cited by 15
Intolerance of uncertainty, depression and the error-related negativity
Ruchensky, J. R., Bauer, E., & MacNamara, A. (2020) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.04.015 · Cited by 15
Intolerance of uncertainty and functional connectivity of the anterior insula during anticipation of unpredictable reward
Radoman, M., & Gorka, S. M. (2022) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.09.003 · Cited by 15
Childhood Adversity and the Association Between Stress Sensitivity and Problematic Alcohol Use in Adults
Hall, O. T., Phan, K. L., & Gorka, S. M. (2021) · Journal of Traumatic Stress · doi:10.1002/jts.22709 · Cited by 17
Neural and Self-report Measures of Sensitivity to Uncertainty as Predictors of COVID-Related Negative Affect
Khorrami, K. J., Manzler, C. A., Kreutzer, K. A., & Gorka, S. M. (2021) · Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging · doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2021.111414 · Cited by 14
Factors Affecting life Satisfaction of Employees under Financial Threat
Danish, R. Q., Shahid, R. K., & Ali, H. F. (2019) · SEISENSE Journal of Management · doi:10.33215/sjom.v2i1.82 · Cited by 16
Event-related potentials to acoustic startle probes during unpredictable threat are associated with individual differences in intolerance of uncertainty
Correa, K. A., Li, L. Y., Nelson, B. D., & Shankman, S. A. (2022) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.01.016 · Cited by 13
Hyperreactivity to uncertainty is a key feature of subjective cognitive impairment
Attaallah, B., Petitet, P., Slavkova, E., Turner, V., Saleh, Y., Manohar, S., & Husain, M. (2022) · eLife · doi:10.7554/elife.75834 · Cited by 13
Testosterone reactivity is associated with reduced neural response to reward in early adolescence
White, S. F., Lee, Y., Schlund, M. W., Shirtcliff, E. A., & Ladouceur, C. D. (2020) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112593 · Cited by 12
Work Expectations, Depressive Symptoms, and Passive Suicidal Ideation Among Older Adults: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study
Mezuk, B. R., Dang, L., Jurgens, D., & Smith, J. (2022) · The Gerontologist · doi:10.1093/geront/gnac110 · Cited by 11
Brain networks under uncertainty: A coordinate-based meta-analysis of brain imaging studies.
Feng, S.-Q., Zhang, M., Peng, Y., Yang, S., Wang, Y.-F., Wu, X., & Zou, F. (2022) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.099 · Cited by 12
Associations between intolerance of uncertainty, paranoia, anxiety, and depression: Evidence from an international multisite sample
Morriss, J., Gaudiano, B. A., So, S. H., Kingston, J. L., Lincoln, T. M., Morris, E. M. J., & Ellett, L. (2024) · Mental Health Science · doi:10.1002/mhs2.81 · Cited by 12
Escape the uncertainty by Internet gaming: A serial mediation model of intolerance of uncertainty and Internet Gaming Disorder
Xu, X., Cao, M., Chen, Q., Xu, F., & Zhou, Z. (2024) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2024.112917 · Cited by 12
A preliminary comparison of fundamental fears related to anxiety
Papenfuss, I., & Ostafin, B. D. (2021) · Journal of Experimental Psychopathology · doi:10.1177/20438087211007601 · Cited by 11
Dissociating the effect of reward uncertainty and timing uncertainty on neural indices of reward prediction errors: A reward positivity (RewP) event-related potential (ERP) study
Muir, A. M., Eberhard, A. C., Walker, M. S., Bennion, A., South, M., & Larson, M. J. (2021) · Biological Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108121 · Cited by 13
From adaptive to maladaptive fear: Heterogeneity in threat and safety learning across response systems in a representative sample
Gazendam, F. J., Krypotos, A., Kamphuis, J. H., van der Leij, A. R., Huizenga, H. M., Eigenhuis, A., & Kindt, M. (2020) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.09.017 · Cited by 10
Sleep Quality, Stress, and Mental Health in College Students: The Protective Role of Optimism and Critical Thinking
Fabio, R. A., Pietro, A. D., & Suriano, R. (2025) · Psychiatry International · doi:10.3390/psychiatryint7010005 · Cited by 13
Error Processing and Pain: A New Perspective
Traxler, J., Torta, D. M. E., von Leupoldt, A., & Vlaeyen, J. W. S. (2022) · Journal of Pain · doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2022.05.005 · Cited by 12
Cloud Model-Based Comprehensive Evaluation Method for Entrepreneurs’ Uncertainty Tolerance
Guo, P., Li, X., Jia, Y., & Zhang, X. (2020) · Mathematics · doi:10.3390/math8091491 · Cited by 10
Intolerance of Uncertainty Enhances Generalisation of Cued Conditioned Threat: An Event-Related Potential Study.
Zhou, X., Gu, Y., Wang, J.-X., Huang, L.-H., & Lei, Y. (2023) · Biological Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108601 · Cited by 9
The role of intolerance of uncertainty in the acquisition and extinction of reward
Morriss, J., Biagi, N., Lonsdorf, T. B., & Andreatta, M. (2021) · European Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1111/ejn.15173 · Cited by 9
Linking Sensory Integration and Processing With Mental Health in Autism: A Retrospective Review of Survey Data
Spielmann, V., Burke, H. K., McCulloch, S., Mason, A., & Lane, S. J. (2023) · American Journal of Occupational Therapy · doi:10.5014/ajot.2023.050127 · Cited by 10
Hand preference and intolerance of uncertainty: Atypical cerebral lateralization advantages lower intolerance of uncertainty
Kumar, S., Saini, R., & Jain, R. (2019) · Laterality Asymmetries of Body Brain and Cognition · doi:10.1080/1357650x.2019.1611843 · Cited by 9
Intolerance of uncertainty and neural measures of anticipation and reactivity for affective stimuli
Wiese, A. D., Lim, S.-L., Filion, D. L., & Kang, S. S. (2022) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.11.010 · Cited by 8
Neurostructural correlates of intolerance of uncertainty: Regional and network-level associations with general psychological distress
Suo, X., Chen, L., Kemp, G. J., & Wang, S. (2026) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121688 · Cited by 8
Paternal expressed emotion influences psychobiological indicators of threat and safety learning in daughters: A preliminary study
Mullins, J. L., Zhou, E., Glenn, D. E., Moroney, E., Lee, S. S., & Michalska, K. J. (2021) · Developmental Psychobiology · doi:10.1002/dev.22205 · Cited by 7
La intolerancia a la incertidumbre, la tendencia a experimentar preocupaciones y el pesimismo como factores intervinientes en la relación entre la dependencia emocional y la violencia
Momeñe, J., Estévez, A., García, A. M. P., & Maguregi, A. (2022) · Anales de Psicología · doi:10.6018/analesps.448821 · Cited by 8
Uncertainty aversion predicts the neural expansion of semantic representations
Vives, M., de Bruin, D., van Baar, J. M., FeldmanHall, O., & Bhandari, A. (2023) · Nature Human Behaviour · doi:10.1038/s41562-023-01561-5 · Cited by 11
The relationship between information hoarding and selective exposure: the role of information overload, identity bubble reinforcement, and intolerance of uncertainty
Bai, X., Lian, S.-L., Sun, X., Niu, G., & Liu, J. (2025) · BMC Psychology · doi:10.1186/s40359-025-03062-8 · Cited by 11

Authors: Tanovic, E., Gee, D. G., & Joormann, J.
Affiliations: Yale University (US)
Corresponding author: Tanovic, Ema
ORCID: Tanovic, Ema
Gee, Dylan G.
Joormann, Jutta
Venue: Clinical Psychology Review
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2018-03
Volume: 60
Pages: 87-99
ISSN: 0272-7358 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2018.01.001
OpenAlex: W2782498233
Semantic Scholar: 6e173ea412d0920b7cd6c7020e57f52d6037d150
Cited by: 214
References: 121
Citations by year: 2026: 25 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 4
FWCI: 2.74
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
www.elsevier.com/legal/tdmrep-license (tdm)
Locations: Clinical Psychology Review (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Keywords: intolerance of uncertainty, neural correlates, psychophysiological correlates, anterior insula, amygdala, event-related potentials, startle response, skin conductance, safety learning, reward processing, threat processing, anxiety, depression, emotion regulation, cognitive control
MeSH terms: Anxiety, Brain, Emotions, Fear, Humans, Uncertainty

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Intolerance of uncertainty: Neural and psychophysiological correlates of the perception of uncertainty as threatening

Abstract

Overview

Integrity signals

Verification

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Citations

Cites

Cited by

Related

Metadata

Record

About these checks