Attention, Encoding, and Information Processing in Low- and High-Test-Anxious Children

Dusek, Jerome B.; Mergler, Nancy L.; Kermis, Marguerite D.

doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.1976.tb03410.x

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…In considering first the results for the visual incidental learning task, high test-anxious children displayed significantly poorer performance than low testanxious children on the central portion of this task. This finding replicates the central task results obtained by Dusek et al (1976). However, no significant performance differences were observed for the incidental portion of this task.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

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mentioning

confidence: 70%

“…The present data were obtained in an attempt to replicate the incidental learning findings presented by Dusek et al (1976), to investigate selective attention in high test-anxious children using additional tasks designed to measure this construct, and to investigate an alternative explanation of Dusek et al's results. Selective attention has also been implicated as a factor in learning disabilities (Ross, 1976 1977).…”

mentioning

confidence: 82%

“…An equal number of control children were randomly selected at each grade level from among normal readers. The children were divided into high test-anxious and low test-anxious groups following the procedure used by Dusek et al (1976). A female examiner (CEF) administered the Test-Anxiety Scale for Children (TASC) and the Defensiveness Scale for Children (DSC) (Sarason, Davidson, Lighthall, Waite & Ruebush, 1960) to groups of four to eight children.…”

Section: Subjectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Dusek, Mergler and Kermis (1976) tested this hypothesis by comparing the performance of high test-anxious and low test-anxious children on a visual incidental learning task. Briefly, the children were sequentially presented with a linear display of pictoral stimulus pairs (i.e., an animal and a household object) and instructed to remember the display position of the animals.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

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Selective Attention Deficits in High Test Anxious Children

1985

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Mergler and Kermis (1976) reported results from a visual incidental learning task supporting the hypothesis that performance deficits in high test anxious children result from attention to task-irrevelant information. The present study investigated selective attention in high test anxious children and the possibility that Dusek et al.'s findings resulted from an association between test anxiety and poor reading ability, with reading ability rather than test anxiety being the variable associated with selective attention difficulties. Three measures of selective attention were employedvisual and auditory incidental learning tasks and a speeded classification task. The results failed to support Dusek et al.'s findings; no evidence was found for selective attention deficits in high test-anxious children. In addition, there was a marginal tendency for older poor readers to be more likely than normal readers to be high test-anxious; this finding is consistent with the suggestion that Dusek et. aV s results from one measure of selective attention may have been a function of a confound of these two variables.I t has been theorized that the poor performance of high test anxious individuals in evaluative situations may reflect reduced attention to task-relevant information (Wine, 1971). Dusek, Mergler and Kermis (1976) tested this hypothesis by comparing the performance of high test-anxious and low test-anxious children on a visual incidental learning task. Briefly, the children were sequentially presented with a linear display of pictoral stimulus pairs (i.e., an animal and a household object) and instructed to remember the display position of the animals. The score for the central task was based on the number of correct matches of animal stimulus cards and their position in the display. Following this central task, an incidental score was obtained by assessing recall of animal-object pairings. The difference between central and incidental scores in this paradigm has been considered a measure of selective attention (Hagen & Hale, 1973; Hallahan, Kauffman & Ball, 1974). Dusek and associates (1976) found that high testanxious children obtained lower central scores and higher incidental scores than low test-anxious children. They interpreted this result as supporting the hypothesis that high test-anxious children attend to task-irrelevant information at the expense of attention to task-relevant information.The present data were obtained in an attempt to replicate the incidental learning findings presented by Dusek et al. (1976), to investigate selective attention in high test-anxious children using additional tasks designed to measure this construct, and to investigate an alternative explanation of Dusek et al.'s results. Selective attention has also been implicated as a factor in learning disabilities (Ross, 1976). A number of studies have found that reading disabled children perform less selectively than normal readers on incidental learning tasks such as that employed by Dusek et al. (1976) (Hallahan, ). It may be specu...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…

…”

mentioning

confidence: 70%

mentioning

confidence: 82%

Section: Subjectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 98%

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Selective Attention Deficits in High Test Anxious Children

1985

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Anxiety and cognitive performance: Attentional control theory.

Eysenck¹,

Derakshan²,

Santos³

et al. 2007

Emotion

3,827

426

3,627

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Attentional control theory is an approach to anxiety and cognition representing a major development of Eysenck and Calvo's (1992) processing efficiency theory. It is assumed that anxiety impairs efficient functioning of the goal-directed attentional system and increases the extent to which processing is influenced by the stimulus-driven attentional system. In addition to decreasing attentional control, anxiety increases attention to threat-related stimuli. Adverse effects of anxiety on processing efficiency depend on two central executive functions involving attentional control: inhibition and shifting. However, anxiety may not impair performance effectiveness (quality of performance) when it leads to the use of compensatory strategies (e.g., enhanced effort; increased use of processing resources). Directions for future research are discussed.

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Nutritional influences on cognitive function: mechanisms of susceptibility

Gibson

Green

2002

NRR

119

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The impact of nutritional variation, within populations not overtly malnourished, on cognitive function and arousal is considered. The emphasis is on susceptibility to acute effects of meals and glucose loads, and chronic effects of dieting, on mental performance, and effects of cholesterol and vitamin levels on cognitive impairment. New developments in understanding dietary influences on neurohormonal systems, and their implications for cognition and affect, allow reinterpretation of both earlier and recent findings. Evidence for a detrimental effect of omitting a meal on cognitive performance remains equivocal: from the outset, idiosyncrasy has prevailed. Yet, for young and nutritionally vulnerable children, breakfast is more likely to benefit than hinder performance. For nutrient composition, despite inconsistencies, some cautious predictions can be made. Acutely, carbohydrate-rich-protein-poor meals can be sedating and anxiolytic; by comparison, protein-rich meals may be arousing, improving reaction time but also increasing unfocused vigilance. Fat-rich meals can lead to a decline in alertness, especially where they differ from habitual fat intake. These acute effects may vary with time of day and nutritional status. Chronically, protein-rich diets have been associated with decreased positive and increased negative affect relative to carbohydrate-rich diets. Probable mechanisms include diet-induced changes in monoamine, especially serotoninergic neurotransmitter activity, and functioning of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. Effects are interpreted in the context of individual traits and susceptibility to challenging, even stressful, tests of performance. Preoccupation with dieting may impair cognition by interfering with working memory capacity, independently of nutritional status. The change in cognitive performance after administration of glucose, and other foods, may depend on the level of sympathetic activation, glucocorticoid secretion, and pancreatic ␤-cell function, rather than simple fuelling

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Attention, Encoding, and Information Processing in Low- and High-Test-Anxious Children

Cited by 10 publications

References 19 publications

Selective Attention Deficits in High Test Anxious Children

Selective Attention Deficits in High Test Anxious Children

Anxiety and cognitive performance: Attentional control theory.

Nutritional influences on cognitive function: mechanisms of susceptibility

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