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Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat

Published on: September 12, 2014

Probability expression for changeable and changeless uncertainties: an implicit test.

Yun Wang¹, Xue-Lei Du¹, Li-Lin Rao²

¹Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China ; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China.

Frontiers in Psychology

|November 29, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Verbal probability effectively communicates changing uncertainty, while numerical probability better expresses unchanging uncertainty. This research introduces "changeability" to understand adapting to our dynamic world.

Keywords:

changeability feature changeable uncertainty numerical probability unchangeable uncertainty verbal probability

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat

Published on: September 12, 2014

Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Decision Science
Communication Studies

Background:

The world is characterized by constant change and uncertainty.
Understanding how humans perceive and communicate different types of uncertainty is crucial for effective decision-making.
Existing research on probability communication often overlooks the dynamic nature of uncertainty.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether verbal probability expressions are better suited for changeable uncertainty and numerical probability for unchangeable uncertainty.
To introduce and define a new feature of probability communication: 'changeability'.
To enhance the understanding of how people process and adapt to uncertainty in a changing environment.

Main Methods:

Three implicit studies were conducted to assess compatibility between probability expression types (verbal vs. numerical) and uncertainty types (changeable vs. unchangeable).
Participants' reactions and adaptations to different communication formats were measured.
Statistical analysis was used to determine the significance of observed compatibility differences.

Main Results:

The combination of verbal probability with changeable uncertainty showed higher compatibility in implicit tasks compared to numerical probability.
Conversely, numerical probability demonstrated greater compatibility with unchangeable uncertainty than verbal probability.
A novel feature, 'changeability,' was proposed to characterize verbal probability's adaptability to dynamic contexts.

Conclusions:

Verbal probability is more effective for conveying dynamic or changing uncertainty.
Numerical probability serves as a superior medium for communicating static or unchanging uncertainty.
The findings offer new insights into probability communication, particularly the 'changeability' of verbal expressions, aiding in uncertainty preparedness.