Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026
08:17
Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance
Published on: July 19, 2017
Restriction of working memory capacity during worry.
Sarra Hayes1, Colette Hirsch, Andrew Mathews
1Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK. sarra.hayes@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
|August 30, 2008
Summary
High worriers exhibit reduced working memory capacity when engaging in worry, indicating fewer attentional resources for thought redirection. This impacts cognitive control during anxious thought processes.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience of Emotion
Background:
- Worry is a common cognitive process associated with anxiety.
- Working memory capacity is crucial for cognitive control and attention management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To directly assess working memory capacity during worry in individuals.
- To investigate the cognitive resources available to high and low worriers.
Main Methods:
- Participants (high and low worriers) performed a random key-press task.
- Cognitive load was assessed while participants focused on a current worry or a positive topic.
Main Results:
- High worriers demonstrated significantly restricted working memory capacity during worry compared to positive thinking.
- Low worriers did not show a similar reduction in capacity.
Conclusions:
- High worriers have diminished working memory capacity when actively worrying.
- Reduced attentional resources in high worriers may impede their ability to disengage from worry.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Working Memory
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this information.
01:14Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...
01:12Chunking
Chunking is a powerful cognitive technique that improves short-term memory retention by organizing information into smaller, more manageable units. The brain, limited by working memory capacity, can more easily process and store information when it is divided into "chunks" rather than presented as discrete, unrelated elements. Chunking is especially useful when dealing with large amounts of information, such as numerical sequences, words, or complex ideas.
The principle behind chunking is...
The principle behind chunking is...
01:27Coping Strategies: Problem Focused
Coping strategies are methods people use to manage, tolerate, or reduce the effects of stressors. These strategies involve both behavioral and psychological actions to handle stressful situations. One common approach is problem-focused coping, which aims to change or eliminate the source of stress rather than merely addressing its consequences. This method involves taking direct action to resolve the issue causing stress.
For example, consider a student who struggles to understand their...
For example, consider a student who struggles to understand their...
01:16Interference and Decay
Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
01:19High-Level and Low-Level Awareness
Controlled processes in human consciousness represent high-alert mental states where individuals deliberately focus their attention on achieving specific goals. Controlled processes can be seen in situations like mastering new technology, where a person might become so absorbed that they ignore surrounding distractions. Such processes involve selective attention, requiring one to concentrate on particular elements of experience while disregarding others. These are governed by executive...