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Intentions matter: Avoidance intentions regulate anxiety via outcome expectancy
1School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Australia.
Behaviour Research and Therapy
|April 4, 2017
Summary
Avoidance intentions reduce anxiety by lowering shock expectancy. This research suggests intentions play a key role in managing anxiety and avoidance behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Intentions predict behavior, but their role in emotion regulation, specifically anxiety, is under-researched.
- Existing research primarily links intentions to behavioral outcomes, with limited focus on emotional modulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if avoidance intentions, mediated by expectancy, can reduce anxiety.
- To explore the psychological mechanisms underlying intention-based anxiety reduction.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted involving participants performing instrumental avoidance responses to cancel aversive stimuli (shock).
- Participants indicated their intention to respond or not respond, with subsequent measurement of shock expectancy and skin conductance level (SCL).
- Experiment 2 used retrospective intention reporting to validate findings against potential action-outcome associations.
Main Results:
- Avoidance intentions significantly lowered both shock expectancy and SCL compared to non-intended or control conditions.
- Results were consistent across both prospective (Experiment 1) and retrospective (Experiment 2) intention reporting.
- Findings support the mediating role of expectancy in how avoidance intentions impact anxiety.
Conclusions:
- Avoidance intentions effectively reduce anxiety through a mechanism involving the modulation of expectancy.
- The findings highlight the potential of utilizing avoidance intentions in therapeutic strategies for anxiety disorders.
- This research underscores the significant role of intentions in shaping emotional and behavioral responses in anxiety.