Stress and Anxiety

1. Stress and Anxiety

2. Final Papers, final question • Question 3 on the final

3. Final Papers, final question • Conscious processing a “self-focus” model. • State anxiety leads to an inward focus, in an attempt to control performance using explicit knowledge. • Interference w automatic processing, leads to inappropriate controlled processing. (see dst, see bernstein, see fitts and posner, see Wulf and so on)

4. Final Papers, final question • Conscious processing a “self-focus” model. • Mullen et al.’s findings (putting accuracy) Conscious processing Distraction Supports an attentional interpretation. Not conscious processing.

5. Final Papers, final question • Conscious processing a “self-focus” model. • Mullen et al.’s paper • The discussion is unusually good, and is worth a read. • “Self vs. other” focus relevant to all our stress-related models

6. Final Papers, final question • Stereotype threat, a self-focus model with a bias • You’re self-focus will only impair you if you are aware of the stereotype and you’re the one who is being stereotyped • Associated with increased mental workload in those who suffer it (decreased HRV) • It’s a cognitive control issue – impairment is within the working memory • for cognitive tasks • What about non-cognitive tasks?

7. Final Papers, final question • Stereotype threat, a self-focus model with a bias • Sport tasks… • Distraction theory (“Other-focus” - WM capacity needed for performance, distracting thoughts reduce available capacity under anxiety conditions) • Explicit monitoring theory (“self-focus” – increased explicit attention to procedural task – performance breakdown) • Can both operate, but have different effects depending on task type.

8. Final Papers, final question • Stereotype threat, a self-focus model with a bias • Beilock et al. • Expt. 1

9. Final Papers, final question • Stereotype threat, a self-focus model with a bias • Beilock et al. • Expts. 2 & 3 • Adding a dual task under stereotype threat improved performance – the distraction helped. (Note no effect of threat without dual task though)

10. Final Papers, final question • Ironic processing • Intentional operating process • Thoughts supporting desired outcome • effortful • Ironic monitoring process • Thoughts not supporting the desired outcome • Unconscious • If mental capacity is lessened (stress), the operator is undermined while the monitor continues unaffected, so ironic thoughts increase and impair performance

11. Final Papers, final question • Ironic processing • Wegner et al. • Expt. 1 • Mental load vs. no mental load, visual monitoring vs. none • Ironic processing increased overshoot, monitoring (glowing putter) didn’t.

12. Final Papers, final question • Ironic processing • Wegner et al. • Expt. 2 • Mental load (count backwards in 3s) vs. physical load (hold a brick) • Ironic processing increased overshoot, monitoring (glowing putter) didn’t.

13. Final Papers, final question • Ironic processing • Wegner et al. • Expt. 2 “more unwanted movements occurred when people attempted to avoid such movements under load”