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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Main Authors: Xiaocong Zhang, Yunying Dong, Renlai Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
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.
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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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