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The perseveration of checking thoughts and mood-as-input hypothesis.
Graham C L Davey1, Helen M Startup, Ayten Zara
1Department of Psychology, The University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9QH, UK. grahamda@cogs.susx.ac.uk
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
|August 6, 2003
Summary
The mood-as-input hypothesis explains task perseveration, relevant to compulsive checking. Negative moods combined with "as many as can" rules intensified task persistence in experiments.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Task perseveration is a key feature of compulsive behaviors.
- The mood-as-input hypothesis offers a framework for understanding task persistence.
- Compulsive checking behaviors may be influenced by mood states and task rules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the applicability of the mood-as-input hypothesis to compulsive checking.
- To examine how mood and task stop rules influence perseveration in checking-related tasks.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted using tasks relevant to safety/security checking.
- Experiment 1 involved generating items for home safety checks.
- Experiment 2 utilized an analogue recall task for home safety items.
Main Results:
- Perseveration was influenced by specific combinations of mood and stop rules.
- Facilitated perseveration occurred in a negative mood with "as many as can" stop rules.
- Findings align with the mood-as-input hypothesis in the context of checking behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Mood-as-input model provides insights into factors maintaining compulsive checking.
- Negative mood states and specific task rules may contribute to perseveration in compulsive checking.
- Further research can explore therapeutic interventions targeting these mechanisms.