The Effects of Trait Anxiety Combined With State Anxiety on Memory: A
Field Study
Patricia K. Phillippe
Missouri Western State College
December 5, 1995
Abstract
A field study was conducted to see whether the memory performance of high trait
anxiety subjects in a stressful situation differs from that of low trait anxiety
individuals who experience the same stressful situation. Sixty people were stopped
prior to entering a haunted house and asked to fill out a survey assessing the level
of their trait anxiety. After going through the haunted house, the people were
asked to fill out another survey assessing their level of state anxiety. In addition,
they filled out a short memory quiz concerning the contents of the haunted house.
Although a significant correlation was found for type of memory retained, there
was no significant correlation between level of anxiety and memory performance.
Introduction
There appears to be a contradiction in the research findings pertaining to memory
for emotional events. Some studies have shown that unpleasant events are
retained quite well (e.g., Heuer & Reisberg, 1992; Yuille & Tollestrup, 1992). At
the same time, other studies have demonstrated that negative emotional events
appear to hinder some aspects of short-term memory (Revelle & Loftus, 1990;
Williams, 1994). The most current studies show strong interactions between the
type of event, type of detail information, time of test, and type of retrieval
information (Christianson, 1992).
Some research indicates that emotional arousal causes a narrowing of attention
which, in turn, causes impoverished memory encoding. Heuer and Reisberg (1990)
pointed out that findings such as these may have been influenced by the type of
instructions given during the experiment. Subjects are often given explicit
instructions to remember or attend to an event. This seems to result in the memory
for that event's gist being improved at the expense of the details. In their
research, Heuer and Reisberg (1990) conducted a long term (two week) incidental
learning procedure. The results showed that emotion improved memory for both
central and peripheral details.
Several studies have shown a relationship between high trait anxiety and reduced
working memory capacity (Dobson & Markham, 1992; Eysenck & Calvo, 1992;
Markham & Darke, 1992; Sorg & Whitney, 1992). The 1992 study done by Sorg
and Whitney showed that even mildly stressful events can have very different
effects depending on the trait anxiety level of the subjects. Data from their
research provided direct evidence of changes in working memory capacity as a
result of the joint effects of trait anxiety and state anxiety. Subjects with high trait
anxiety exhibited lower working memory capacity when placed in a stressful
situation.
The purpose of this correlational study is to assess whether the memory
performance of high trait anxiety subjects in a stressful situation differs from that
of low trait anxiety individuals who experience the same stresssful situation.
Methods
Subjects
Approximately one hundred subjects were randomly selected from people waiting
to enter Mad Mary's Haunted House. Of these one hundred subjects, forty had to
be eliminated due to control problems. This left a total of sixty subjects for the
study. Mad Mary's Haunted House is located in St. Joseph, Missouri, a medium
sized Midwestern city. The subjects ranged in age from 13 year old teens through
43 year old adults. As an inducement to increase participation, subjects were told
that they would be offered a can of pop upon completing the second set of
surveys.
Materials
The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Form Y (Spielberger, 1983) was used. It
comprised separate self-report scales for measuring state and trait anxiety. Each
scale contained twenty questions with the Trait Anxiety and the State Anxiety
forms on separate pages. A memory test was also prepared consisting of thirteen
questions about objects and room settings found in this haunted house. Two of
these questions asked about items which are not in Mad Mary's but which could
be consistent with a haunted house. A third question asked about the presence of
a mad clown, something which is not normally equated with a haunted house.
The memory test was printed on the back of the State Anxiety form. Clipboards
and pens were provided. An ice chest of Pepsi, Coke, and Orange pop were
positioned near the exit and the aid of a confederate was used.
Procedure
Approximately one hundred subjects were randomly approached as they waited in
line for admittance to Mad Mary's Haunted House. Their assistance was requested
in filling out a self-evaluation questionnaire (the Trait Anxiety Inventory) before
entering Mad Mary's and they were also asked to fill out another questionnaire (the
State Anxiety Inventory) after they exited. A brief memory test was also
administered with the state anxiety survey but the subjects were not informed of
that in advance. Other demographic information included the subject's sex and
age. The subjects were also told that as a thank you they would be given a can of
pop for completing the survey.
Results
A 2 x 2 mixed design ANOVA was conducted on the 2 independent variables of
high and low anxiety and false and real memories. The main effect for the level of
anxiety was nonsignificant (F(2,46)=139, p> .05). A
significant main effect was found for the type of memory,
(F(1,46)=34.26,p < .05). A mean of .6981 false
memories were reported by the subjects, but memories for real objects were very
accurate with subjects rememering only .0537 objects fewer than were actually
there. The interaction was nonsignificant (F(2,46)=1.10
p> .05).
A one sample t-test was conducted to see whether the haunted house succeeded
in raising anxiety. The results of this t-test were significant (t(59)=
2.77p< .05). The mean anxiety for the general population is 37.5.
This study showed a mean of 41.65 for anxiety.
Discussion
Although a significant difference was not found between the memories of high and
low trait individuals, high anxiety individuals did have worse memories. It's
possible that the level of anxiety was not strong enough or not negative enough
to produce significant results. The t-test showed that the haunted house did raise
anxiety levels but perhaps the anxiety tended to have a positive valience instead
of a traumatic effect.
A significant effect was found for type of memory. Overall, memory for real
objects was very good with a mean of -.0537. When tested though for fake
memories the mean was .6981.
With a field study of this type, control was a problem during the second half of the
survey. People were happy to comply with filling out surveys while waiting in line
to enter the haunted house but after exiting Mad Mary's they were excited and
laughing and often forgot to stop and fill out the second half of the survey.
Another problem was trying to keep people separated while filling out the survey.
They had a tendency to compare answers on the trait survey and scoff at any
suggestion of being anxious from the haunted house. Forms from these individuals
had to be discarded. It was interesting that most of the subjects appeared
confident of their answers as they filled out the memory portion and there didn't
seem to be much discussion of these answers.
For future research, a follow up study could be done in a setting that would
provide a more intensely anxiety provoking atmosphere. One possible setting
might be an amusement park roller coaster. Subjects could be given a memory
task before embarking on the roller coaster and then asked to repeat the memory
task after the ride.
References
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