Examination Stress Results in Attentional Bias and Altered Neural Reactivity in Test-Anxious Individuals
Examination stress occurs so frequently in the lives of students. The neural mechanisms of attentional bias induced by examination stress in test-anxious individuals remain unclear. Accordingly, we investigated the attentional bias toward test-related threatening words in selected high and low test-...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Neural Plasticity |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/3281040 |
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| author | Xiaocong Zhang Yunying Dong Renlai Zhou |
| author_facet | Xiaocong Zhang Yunying Dong Renlai Zhou |
| author_sort | Xiaocong Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Examination stress occurs so frequently in the lives of students. The neural mechanisms of attentional bias induced by examination stress in test-anxious individuals remain unclear. Accordingly, we investigated the attentional bias toward test-related threatening words in selected high and low test-anxious participants under the stress of final examinations by using an event-related potential (ERP) technique. A classic dot-probe paradigm was adopted with a test-related/test-unrelated threatening word and a neutral word pair as cues. Results showed attention bias and enhanced N200 amplitude toward test-related threat in high test-anxious individuals, whereas avoidance of test-related threat and decreased N200 amplitude were shown in low test-anxious individuals. Additionally, ERP data revealed the relatively enhanced LPP amplitude in low test-anxious participants compared with that in high test-anxious participants. No attentional bias toward test-unrelated threat was found. In conclusion, examination stress resulted in attentional bias and functional perturbations of a brain circuitry that reacted rapidly to test-related threat in high test-anxious individuals. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f92560f6f2a84234b83f37e56e805975 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2090-5904 1687-5443 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Neural Plasticity |
| spelling | doaj-art-f92560f6f2a84234b83f37e56e8059752025-02-03T01:10:00ZengWileyNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432018-01-01201810.1155/2018/32810403281040Examination Stress Results in Attentional Bias and Altered Neural Reactivity in Test-Anxious IndividualsXiaocong Zhang0Yunying Dong1Renlai Zhou2Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, ChinaSchool of Education, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou 213001, ChinaResearch Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, ChinaExamination stress occurs so frequently in the lives of students. The neural mechanisms of attentional bias induced by examination stress in test-anxious individuals remain unclear. Accordingly, we investigated the attentional bias toward test-related threatening words in selected high and low test-anxious participants under the stress of final examinations by using an event-related potential (ERP) technique. A classic dot-probe paradigm was adopted with a test-related/test-unrelated threatening word and a neutral word pair as cues. Results showed attention bias and enhanced N200 amplitude toward test-related threat in high test-anxious individuals, whereas avoidance of test-related threat and decreased N200 amplitude were shown in low test-anxious individuals. Additionally, ERP data revealed the relatively enhanced LPP amplitude in low test-anxious participants compared with that in high test-anxious participants. No attentional bias toward test-unrelated threat was found. In conclusion, examination stress resulted in attentional bias and functional perturbations of a brain circuitry that reacted rapidly to test-related threat in high test-anxious individuals.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/3281040 |
| spellingShingle | Xiaocong Zhang Yunying Dong Renlai Zhou Examination Stress Results in Attentional Bias and Altered Neural Reactivity in Test-Anxious Individuals Neural Plasticity |
| title | Examination Stress Results in Attentional Bias and Altered Neural Reactivity in Test-Anxious Individuals |
| title_full | Examination Stress Results in Attentional Bias and Altered Neural Reactivity in Test-Anxious Individuals |
| title_fullStr | Examination Stress Results in Attentional Bias and Altered Neural Reactivity in Test-Anxious Individuals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Examination Stress Results in Attentional Bias and Altered Neural Reactivity in Test-Anxious Individuals |
| title_short | Examination Stress Results in Attentional Bias and Altered Neural Reactivity in Test-Anxious Individuals |
| title_sort | examination stress results in attentional bias and altered neural reactivity in test anxious individuals |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/3281040 |
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