Cited by 234Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesPsychological Treatments and AssessmentsMental Health via Writing

Anxiety and the interpretation of ambiguity: A text comprehension study.

MacLeod, Colin, Cohen, Ilan Lawrence·1993·Journal of Abnormal Psychology

Abstract

Beck's influential cognitive account of anxiety has led to the prediction that individuals vulnerable to anxiety should favor threatening interpretations of ambiguity (e.g., Beck & Clark, 1988; Beck, Emery, & Greenberg, 1986). The current study introduces a novel adaptation of the RSVP technique, previously used in text comprehension research, to evaluate this hypothesis. Results suggest that a group of 24 high trait anxious students did indeed selectively impose threatening interpretations on unconstrained ambiguous sentences. In contrast, a matched group of 24 low trait anxious students appeared to selectively impose non-threatening interpretations on such ambiguous sentences. These findings are fully consistent with the predicted anxiety-linked interpretative bias. Specific testable hypotheses are developed concerning the types of interpretative idiosyncrasies that plausibly may contribute to pathological anxiety.

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Crossref · 10.1037/0021-843x.102.2.238

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  • The Interpretation Bias Task was construed in line with threatening interpretation bias scenarios from Mayer et al. (2009) and MacLeod and Cohen (1993).

    “This task was construed in line with the threatening interpretation bias scenarios from Mayer et al. (2009) and from MacLeod and Cohen (1993).”

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Authors
MacLeod, C., & Cohen, I. L.
Affiliations
The University of Western Australia (AU)
Venue
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
Published
1993-05
Volume
102
Issue
2
Pages
238-247
ISSN
  • 0021-843X (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1846
OpenAlex
W2073092513
Cited by
234
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 14
FWCI
2.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Abnormal Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health via Writing
Keywords
anxiety, interpretation bias, ambiguity, Beck, trait anxiety, text comprehension, rapid serial visual presentation, ambiguous sentences, pathological anxiety
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety Disorders, Arousal, Depressive Disorder, Female, Heart Rate, Humans, Language, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Speech Perception

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