Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026
07:21
The Emotional Stroop Task: Assessing Cognitive Performance under Exposure to Emotional Content
Published on: June 29, 2016
Attachment anxiety and attentional control predict immediate and delayed emotional Stroop interference
Heidi N Bailey1, Laura Paret, Christian Battista
1Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. hnbailey@uoguelph.ca
Emotion (Washington, D.C.)
|April 4, 2012
Summary
Attachment anxiety affects threat response speed. Higher anxiety correlates with immediate interference, while lower anxiety links to delayed interference, impacting attention control.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Attachment anxiety is linked to heightened threat responses.
- Understanding the temporal dynamics of threat processing is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the temporal characteristics of threat responses in relation to attachment anxiety.
- To examine the role of top-down attentional control in moderating threat interference.
Main Methods:
- A modified emotional Stroop task was employed with 125 participants.
- Response latencies to threatening and neutral words were measured to assess immediate and delayed interference.
- Attachment anxiety levels and top-down attentional control were evaluated.
Main Results:
- Increased immediate and delayed interference to threatening words was observed.
- Higher attachment anxiety was associated with immediate interference.
- Lower attachment anxiety was associated with delayed interference.
- Top-down attentional control significantly moderated interference effects, with minimal interference in individuals with stronger control.
Conclusions:
- Attachment anxiety influences the speed of threat disruption on cognitive processes.
- Top-down attentional control plays a key role in mitigating threat-related interference.
- Findings have implications for understanding threat processing and attentional mechanisms.
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