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Cited by 565Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesNeurobiology of Language and Bilingualism

A rational look at the emotional Stroop phenomenon: a generic slowdown, not a Stroop effect

Algom, Daniel, Chajut, Eran, Lev, Shlomo·2004·Journal of Experimental Psychology General
DOI 10.1037/0096-3445.133.3.323
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Abstract

The role of Stroop processes in the emotional Stroop effect was subjected to a conceptual scrutiny augmented by a series of experiments entailing reading or lexical decision as well as color naming. The analysis showed that the Stroop effect is not defined in the emotional Stroop task. The experiments showed that reading, lexical decision, and color naming all are slower with emotional words and that this delay is immune to task-irrelevant variation and to changes in the relative salience of the words and the colors. The delay was absent when emotional and neutral words appeared in a single block. A threat-driven generic slowdown is implicated, not a selective attention mechanism associated with the classic Stroop effect.

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  • AB in threat-distractor interference reflects conflict between threat salience-driven and goal-directed processes.

    “AB in threat-distractor interference (e.g., [ 5 0 2 _ T D $ D I F F ] on the emotional Stroop task) reflects conflict between threat salience-driven and goal-directed processes [26,30,31,55,59].”

    From Anxiety and Threat-Related Attention: Cognitive-Motivational Framework and Treatment (2018) · cites this paper as [59]

  • The automatic interrupt function can function independently of orienting, as it contributes to anxiety-related threat-distractor interference in the absence of orienting.

    “However, they can also function independently, as the automatic interrupt function contributes to anxiety-related threat-distractor interference in the absence of orienting (e.g., on modified Stroop task, Algom et al., 2004).”

    From Anxiety and attention to threat: cognitive mechanisms and treatment with attention bias modification (2016) · cites this paper as Algom et al., 2004

  • Automatic orienting and interrupt functions may relate to a common circuit-breaker mechanism, but they are also separable, as threat cues may automatically interrupt performance on tasks independent of spatial orienting.

    “While automatic orienting and interrupt functions may relate to a common circuitbreaker mechanism (Corbetta & Shulman, 2002), they are also separable, as threat cues may automatically interrupt performance on tasks independent of spatial orienting (e.g., modified Stroop task using masked and unmasked threat stimuli; Algom et al., 2004).”

    From Anxiety and attention to threat: cognitive mechanisms and treatment with attention bias modification (2016) · cites this paper as Algom et al., 2004

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Authors
Algom, D., Chajut, E., & Lev, S.
Affiliations
  • Tel Aviv University (IL)
  • Open University of Israel (IL)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Experimental Psychology General
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2004
Volume
133
Issue
3
Pages
323-338
ISSN
  • 0096-3445 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-2222
DOI
10.1037/0096-3445.133.3.323
OpenAlex
W2094929173
Cited by
565
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 38 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 35 · 2012: 36
FWCI
7.05
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Experimental Psychology General (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
Keywords
emotional Stroop effect, Stroop interference, emotional words, threats, selective attention, color naming, lexical decision, reading
MeSH terms
Analysis of Variance, Attention, Color Perception, Emotions, Fear, Female, Humans, Inhibition, Psychological, Israel, Male, Reaction Time, Reading, Semantics

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