Cited by 445Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesNeurobiology of Language and Bilingualism

On the relationship between anxiety and error monitoring: a meta-analysis and conceptual framework

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Moser, Jason S., Moran, Tim P., Schroder, Hans S., Donnellan, M. Brent, Yeung, Nick·2013·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

Abstract

Research involving event-related brain potentials has revealed that anxiety is associated with enhanced error monitoring, as reflected in increased amplitude of the error-related negativity (ERN). The nature of the relationship between anxiety and error monitoring is unclear, however. Through meta-analysis and a critical review of the literature, we argue that anxious apprehension/worry is the dimension of anxiety most closely associated with error monitoring. Although, overall, anxiety demonstrated a robust, "small-to-medium" relationship with enhanced ERN (r = -0.25), studies employing measures of anxious apprehension show a threefold greater effect size estimate (r = -0.35) than those utilizing other measures of anxiety (r = -0.09). Our conceptual framework helps explain this more specific relationship between anxiety and enhanced ERN and delineates the unique roles of worry, conflict processing, and modes of cognitive control. Collectively, our analysis suggests that enhanced ERN in anxiety results from the interplay of a decrease in processes supporting active goal maintenance and a compensatory increase in processes dedicated to transient reactivation of task goals on an as-needed basis when salient events (i.e., errors) occur.

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Crossref · 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00466

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  • From the perspective of Attentional Control Theory, it is possible that persistent obsessions and severe anxiety in pediatric OCD interfere with the efficient functioning of the goal-directed attentional system that may not be as well compensated for by an enhanced ERN in youths as in adults.

    “From the perspective of Attentional Control Theory, it is possible that persistent obsessions and severe anxiety in pediatric OCD interfere with the efficient functioning of the goal‐directed attentional system that may not be as well compensated for by an enhanced ERN in youths as in adults (Eysenck et al. 2007; Moser et al. 2013).”

    From Reaction Time Variability and Electrophysiological Indices of Performance Monitoring in Youths With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (2026) · cites this paper as Moser et al. 2013

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  • Meta-analytic evidence supports the ERN as a potential biomarker for psychopathology, with anxiety symptoms associated with larger (more negative) amplitudes and externalizing symptoms associated with smaller (less negative) amplitudes.

    “Meta-analytic evidence supports the ERN as a potential biomarker for psychopathology, with anxiety symptoms associated with larger (more negative) amplitudes (Moser et al., 2013) and externalizing symptoms associated with smaller (less negative) amplitudes (Lutz et al., 2021).”

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1 of the 165 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Barlow D. H. (2002). Anxiety and Its Disorders, 2nd Edn. New York, NY: Guilford Press
  2. Matthews G. Joyner J. Gililand K. Campbell S. E. Faulconner S. (1999). Validation of a comprehensive stress state questionnaire: towards a state “Big three”? in Handbook of Coping: Theory, Research, and Applications, eds Mervielde I. Deary I. J. De Fruyt F. Ostendorf F. (Tilburg, NL: Tilburg University Press), 333– 350
  3. Moran T. P. Moser J. S. (2012). Working memory load enhances action monitoring: implications for the study of anxiety, in Poster presented at the 52nd Annual Conference for the Society for Psychophysiological Research, (New Orleans, LA).

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Authors
Moser, J. S., Moran, T. P., Schroder, H. S., Donnellan, M. B., & Yeung, N.
Affiliations
  • Michigan State University (US)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
Corresponding author
Moser, Jason S.
Venue
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Published
2013
Volume
7
Pages
466-466
ISSN
1662-5161 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2008540085
Cited by
445
References
165
Citations by year
2026: 31 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 45 · 2021: 45 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 35 · 2017: 48 · 2016: 33 · 2015: 32 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
FWCI
2.55
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
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
anxiety, error monitoring, error-related negativity, event-related potentials, anxious apprehension, worry, conflict processing, cognitive control, goal maintenance

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