Anxiety, ability, and digit span performance.
- 1 January 1972
- journal article
- Published by American Psychological Association (APA) in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Vol. 24 (3) , 401-406
- https://doi.org/10.1037/h0033732
Abstract
Discusses C. Spielberger's (see record 1963-03888-001) finding of a significant interaction of trait anxiety and intellectual ability for GPA in a direction consistent with the Taylor-Spence drive interpretation of anxiety. In an experiment with 60 undergraduates, mediating variables (e.g., study habits) which might explain the interaction, were eliminated by using the WAIS Digit Span subtest as the criterion task. It was predicted that differences between groups would increase with increasing state anxiety. Ss were given a digit backwards task under increasing levels of stress. The interaction, previously found for GPA, was obtained with bright, high trait anxiety Ss doing better than bright, low trait anxiety Ss-with the reverse occurring for low aptitude Ss. This interaction was found at all levels of stress and did not increase in magnitude with increasing stress, only partially supporting the drive interpretation of anxiety. Results are discussed in terms of the usefulness of the drive interpretation. (18 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)Keywords
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