anxiety and working memory

Question 1

what is anxiety?

Answer 1

anxiety is fear of an expected or actual threat and an uncertainty about one’s ability to cope.

Question 2

when is anxiety useful?

Answer 2

1. attention: important events
2. motivation: problem solving
3. preparation: practicing
4. protection: avoid danger

Question 3

when is anxiety problematic?

Answer 3

1. when harmless events are perceived as threatening or harmful events are overestimated
2. when it lasts over 90s.
3. when our reaction is maladaptive: hesitate, freeze, ruminate, worry withdraw

Question 4

STUDY ON ANXIETY AND MEMORY

Answer 4

Vytal et al, 2013
aim: to test the effects of anxiety on the working memory
- 27 individuals
- shocked or not
- high and low-difficulty verbal and spatial tasks
- shocked = higher anxiety levels, worse performance, on spatial and low-difficulty verbal tasks
- high difficulty tasks didn’t suffer