Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Measuring Attentional Biases for Threat in Children and Adults
Published on: October 19, 2014
Fearful faces influence attentional control processes in anxious youth and adults
Cecile D Ladouceur1, Jennifer S Silk, Ronald E Dahl
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Schoolof Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. ladouceurcd@upmc.edu
Abstract:
This study examined the effects of trait anxiety and age on performance of an emotional working memory task designed to investigate attentional control processes in the context of emotion. Participants included children, adolescents, and adults (8-30 years old). They performed the Emotional Face N-Back (EFNBACK) task, a modified n-back working memory task with four emotional distracter types (no picture, neutral, fearful, and happy) and two memory-load conditions (0-back and 2-back), and completed self-report trait anxiety measures. Results indicated that participants high in trait anxiety had slower reaction times on the fearful 2-back memory-load condition. A significant interaction with age indicated that this effect was greater in the younger participants. These findings suggest that anxious individuals, particularly younger ones, exhibit difficulty resisting interference from threat-related stimuli when greater attentional resources are being recruited.
Related Concept Videos
Social Anxiety Disorder
Association Areas of the Cortex
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Anxiety: Overview
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Facial Feedback Hypothesis
Preparedness and Phobias
The Influence of Cognition on Affect

