Distress intolerance and worry: the mediating role of cognitive variables

Background and Objectives: Distress intolerance (DI) has been identified as a potential risk factor for a variety of maladaptive avoidance behaviors, including worry. However, mechanisms linking DI to specific behaviors remain poorly understood. One hypothesis is that DI is a general vulnerability that confers risk of particular avoidance behaviors via more specific, lower-order vulnerabilities. The current study examined associations between DI and worry-related cognitions. Design: A multiple mediator model tested the hypothesis that worry-related variables (intolerance of uncertainty [IU], cognitive avoidance, beliefs about worry, and negative problem orientation) mediated the association between DI and worry. Methods: An undergraduate student (n = 281) and a clinical (n = 123) sample completed self-report measures. Results: Across samples, worry was associated with higher levels of DI, IU, cognitive avoidance, beliefs about worry, and negative problem orientation. Mediation results differed somewhat between the two samples. In the undergraduate sample, IU, negative beliefs about worry, and positive beliefs about worry mediated the association between DI and worry. In the clinical sample, negative problem orientation and negative beliefs about worry mediated the association between DI and worry. Conclusions: Results provide initial evidence that DI may be associated with worry via unique risk factors.     

The relationship between negative urgency and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms: the role of intolerance of negative emotions and intolerance of uncertainty

Background and Objectives: GAD symptoms are associated with greater negative urgency, a dimension of impulsivity defined as the tendency to act rashly when distressed. This study examined the degree to which intolerance of negative emotional states and intolerance of uncertainty account for the association between negative urgency and GAD symptoms. Design: An analysis of indirect effects evaluated whether intolerance of negative emotions and intolerance of uncertainty uniquely account for the association between negative urgency and GAD symptom severity. Methods: Undergraduate students (N?=?308) completed measures of GAD symptoms, trait anxiety, negative urgency, distress tolerance, and intolerance of uncertainty. Results: Greater symptoms of GAD, intolerance of negative emotional states, and intolerance of uncertainty were associated with greater negative urgency. There was an indirect relationship between negative urgency and GAD symptoms through intolerance of negative emotional states and intolerance of uncertainty even when controlling for trait anxiety. Intolerance of negative emotional states and intolerance of uncertainty each had an indirect relationship with GAD severity through negative urgency, suggesting possible bi-directional relations. Conclusions: Future studies should examine the role of intolerance of negative emotional states and intolerance of uncertainty in the impulsive behavior of individuals with GAD, and whether impulsive behavior reinforces these processes.     

Fear of self-annihilation and existential uncertainty as predictors of worldview defense: Comparing terror management and uncertainty theories

Terror management theory (TMT) proposes that thoughts of death trigger a concern about self-annihilation that motivates the defense of cultural worldviews. In contrast, uncertainty theorists propose that thoughts of death trigger feelings of uncertainty that motivate worldview defense. University students (N = 414) completed measures of the chronic fear of self-annihilation and existential uncertainty as well as the need for closure. They then evaluated either a meaning threat stimulus or a control stimulus. Consistent with TMT, participants with a high fear of self-annihilation and a high need for closure showed the greatest dislike of the meaning threat stimulus, even after controlling for their existential uncertainty. Contrary to the uncertainty perspective, fear of existential uncertainty showed no significant effects.     

Addicted to answers: Need for cognitive closure and the endorsement of conspiracy beliefs

Conspiracy theories offer simple answers to complex problems by providing explanations for uncertain situations. Thus, they should be attractive to individuals who are intolerant of uncertainty and seek cognitive closure. We hypothesized that need for cognitive closure (NFCC) should foster conspiracy beliefs about events that lack clear official explanations, especially when conspiracy theories are temporarily salient. In Experiment 1, NFCC positively predicted the endorsement of a conspiracy theory behind the refugee crisis, especially when conspiratorial explanations were made salient. Experiment 2 showed that when conspiratorial explanations were made salient, NFCC positively predicted beliefs in conspiracies behind a mysterious plane crash. However, the link between NFCC and beliefs in conspiratorial explanations was reversed in the case of a plane crash with an official, non‐conspiratorial, explanation for the accident. In conclusion, people high (vs. low) in NFCC seize on conspiratorial explanations for uncertain events when such explanations are situationally accessible.     

Cognitive flexibility mediates the relation between intolerance of uncertainty and safety signal responding in those with panic disorder

There is a growing literature associating anxiety disorders with an inability to inhibit defensive responding during safety conditions of threatening tasks. However, investigations on the relation between panic disorder (PD) and defensive responding to safety have yielded mixed results. A recent study from our laboratory revealed that intolerance of uncertainty (IU) moderates this association, such that only individuals with PD and a high IU exhibit heightened startle potentiation during safety. The mechanism underlying this relationship is unknown. Given that safety conditions typically alternate with periods of threat, cognitive flexibility (i.e., the ability to adjust one's habitual responding to a situation, given the input of new information) may be involved in the ongoing reappraisal of danger and adjustment of defensive responding. Thus, the present study sought to investigate whether deficits in cognitive flexibility mediate the association between IU and defensive responding to safety among a sample of 71 adults diagnosed with PD. As hypothesised, cognitive flexibility mediated the relationship between IU and heightened startle potentiation during safety conditions. This finding suggests that within this subgroup, a failure to inhibit defensive responding during safety conditions may be due to deficits in cognitive flexibility.     

概率大小、损益结果和认知闭合需要对模糊规避的影响

模糊规避是指在相同奖赏的情况下,决策者会力图规避从主观上判断具有模糊概率的事件而偏好具有相同精确概率的事件。本研究探讨了概率大小、损益结果和认知闭合需要对模糊规避的影响。研究发现,在小概率受益的情况下,个体倾向于模糊寻求;在中概率受益的情况下,个体倾向于模糊规避;在高概率受益的情况下,个体倾向于模糊规避;在小概率损失的情况下,个体倾向于模糊规避;在中概率损失的情况下,个体倾向于模糊规避;在高概率损失的情况下,个体倾向于模糊寻求。但是,研究并未发现认知闭合需要对模糊规避有预测作用。     

不确定感与从众：决断性与结构需求的中介作用

不确定感伴随从众的现象普遍存在,然而其内在加工过程及个体差异仍不明确。对804名大学生被试进行问卷调查,结果显示：（1）不确定感与从众正相关;（2）决断性与结构需求完全中介不确定感与从众的关系,且存在性别差异;二者关系上,女性更大程度上受决断性的中介,其次为结构需求;男性受决断性和结构需求的平行中介。结果支持不确定−认同理论和认知闭合两阶段模型观点,为不确定状态下不同性别人群从众行为的管理提供了理论依据。     

感知环境不确定性与环境扫描对认知变化的影响——认知闭合需要与认知需要的调节作用

对426名大学生进行问卷调查,考察了感知环境不确定性对认知变化的影响,环境扫描行为的中介作用以及认知闭合需要与认知需要对两阶段中介模型的调节作用。结果发现：（1）感知环境不确定性能够正向预测认知变化水平,并且环境扫描行为的两个维度都起到中介作用;（2）认知闭合需要能够负向调节中介模型的前后两个阶段;（3）认知需要对环境扫描有直接正向作用,并且对关注程度的促进更大,但是负向调节扫描频率和认知变化之间的关系。     

The interaction of distress tolerance and intolerance of uncertainty in the prediction of symptom reduction across CBT for social anxiety disorder

Distress tolerance (DT) and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) have been identified as transdiagnostic processes that predict symptom severity across a range of distinct anxiety disorders. However, the joint effect of these two variables on therapeutic outcome has not yet been examined. It is possible that DT and IU may both impact on treatment response to cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) in clients with anxiety, as clients with weak DT and strong IU may be less likely to engage in exposure and cognitive restructuring tasks across treatment due to their associated distress. The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction of DT and IU as predictors of post-treatment symptom severity and treatment response to group CBT in participants with primary DSM-IV-TR diagnosed social anxiety disorder (SAD). Participants (N = 95) with SAD completed 12 weeks of manualized group CBT. Results of multilevel longitudinal analysis demonstrated an interaction effect, such that lower DT and higher IU predicted higher SAD symptom severity across the course of therapy. The findings are discussed in terms of clinical implications for the disorder-specific and transdiagnostic treatment of anxiety disorders.     

The Need for Closure and the Spontaneous Use of Complex and Simple Cognitive Structures

Abstract

The authors performed 2 experiments that explored the causal role of need for closure in producing the use of simple structures. In particular, the authors gave the participants a cue that called for a complex or a simple solution on a cognitive complexity task. The authors created the participants' need for closure through the use of time pressure. The results of both experiments revealed that participants only generated complex solutions in the complex cue-no time pressure condition. The discussion is focused on the effects of need for closure in tasks calling for adaptive and spontaneous flexibility.     

认知闭合需要研究评述

认知闭合需要是个体稳定的认知特征,描述了个体在面对模糊情境时是否愿意系统处理信息的动机。已有研究表明,认知闭合需要对个体的信息处理过程和决策结果有显著的预测能力。总体上说,高认知闭合需要的个体更容易利用启发式进行思考,因此此类个体更容易受到过度归因、首因效应等的影响。虽然大多数的研究表明认知闭合需要是个体稳定的认知特质,但也有研究者发现环境因素如噪音等可以在一定程度上、在短时期内改变个体的认知闭合需要的水平。因此,在相关研究中,认知闭合需要既可以通过量表测量,也可以通过在实验中改变环境噪音和时间压力等方法来操纵。已有的关于认知闭合需要的研究也有不足之处。首先,如何引导高认知闭合者克服匆忙做出决策的动机并采用分析式的方式处理信息和进行决策,目前的相关研究还很少;其次,已有的关于认知闭合的研究大都为实验室研究,因此这些研究的外部效度较低;第三,认知闭合需要在冲突研究领域的应用被忽略了。未来有必要针对这些不足之处进行相应研究     

General causality orientations are distinct from but related to dispositional traits

This study examines overlaps and distinctions between concepts of individual differences in the five-factor model and self-determination theory. Participants were 223 Danish adults (age M = 43.74; 60.09% women) originating in a national probability sample. Participants completed questionnaires of personality traits (NEO-FFI) and general causality orientations (GCOS). Distinct and overlapping latent models were tested using structural equation modeling, statistical re-sampling, and confirmatory factor analysis. Results indicate that all three causality orientations are distinct from but related to traits. From a perspective of integrative personality psychology, general causality orientations can be conceived of as characteristic adaptations.     

Role of personal endorsement of outgroup members' distinctive values and need for cognitive closure in attitude towards the outgroup

The present study was designed to examine the role of the perceived culture of the outgroup and the perceiver's cognitive style on the intergroup process. We conducted a survey among mainland Chinese college students to discover the role of their personal endorsement of Hong Kong Chinese's distinctive values and need for cognitive closure in predicting their attitude towards the Hong Kong Chinese outgroup. Results showed that mainland Chinese who gave a higher endorsement of Hong Kong Chinese values were more likely to show a positive attitude towards Hong Kong Chinese, especially for people with a higher need for cognitive closure. These results were discussed in terms of the function of shared social reality on the formation of positive intergroup attitude. Future directions for intergroup research were proposed based on these findings.     

认知闭合需要研究梳理与未来走向

认知闭合需要反应了个体在不确定情景中的认知动机, 在信息爆炸不断加重认知负荷的今天具有重要研究意义。研究梳理了认知闭合需要的概念结构与测量工具, 总结了近30年来相关研究在人格特质、信息加工、决策偏好、态度信念和精神健康等领域的研究结果, 最终指出区分“能力”和“动机”是未来研究的正确走向。此外, 未来的研究还应深入探讨认知闭合需要的概念与结构, 正确使用和合理开发相关测量工具, 并且丰富对其前因变量的实证研究。     

Intelligence Failure and Need for Cognitive Closure: On the Psychology of the Yom Kippur Surprise

This paper uses newly available evidence to shed light on the circumstances and causes of the 6 October 1973 Yom Kippur surprise attack of Egyptian and Syrian forces on Israeli positions at the Suez Canal and the Golan Heights. The evidence suggests that an important circumstance that accounts for the surprise effect these actions managed to produce, despite ample warning signs, is traceable to a high need for cognitive closure among major figures in the Israeli intelligence establishment. Such a need may have prompted leading intelligence analysts to "freeze" on the conventional wisdom that an attack was unlikely and to become impervious to information suggesting that it was imminent. The discussion considers the psychological forces affecting intelligence operations in predicting the initiation of hostile enemy activities, and it describes possible avenues of dealing with the psychological impediments to open–mindedness that may pervasively characterize such circumstances.     

Effects of Psychological Distance and Need for Cognitive Closure on Impression Formation

Based on theoretical and empirical similarities between Construal level theory of psychological distance and the Need for cognitive closure (NFC) theory, it could be hypothesized that psychological distance and NFC represent constructs that overlap to some degree. Since both theories describe judgmental behavior in terms of schematic processing, we hypothesized that primacy effect, a schema-driven phenomenon, is strengthened under the heightened NFC and psychological distance. We tested this hypothesis in an impression formation experiment while manipulating psychological distance and measuring NFC. Low NFC and psychological closeness reflect preference for situationally specific, contextually rich information, and therefore their joint effect resulted in reliance on all available information regardless of their position in a sequence. High NFC and psychological distance produced a preference for clear, schematic, stable knowledge, and therefore weighed first information more, which resulted in the primacy effect.     

Latent class analysis of indicators of intolerance of uncertainty

Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU ) is a transdiagnostic vulnerability factor involved in depression and anxiety symptoms and disorders. IU encompasses Prospective IU (“Unforeseen events upset me greatly”) and Inhibitory IU (“The smallest doubt can stop me from acting”). Research has yet to explore whether subgroups or classes of people exist characterized by different profiles of IU . This study used latent class analysis to identify such subgroups and examined if different classes of IU were distinct in terms of several cognitive vulnerabilities and psychological symptoms. Data were obtained from 519 students completing a 12‐item measure of IU . Four subgroups were identified, characterized by low IU , predominantly Prospective IU , predominantly Inhibitory IU , and high IU , respectively. People in the high IU class reported cognitive vulnerabilities and depression and anxiety more than people in the low IU class. Inhibitory IU was more strongly associated with poor outcomes than was Prospective IU .     

Need for closure and compensatory rule-based perception: The role of information consistency

When making comparisons, people tend to use routinized standards, rules, and knowledge structures. Compensatory rules (e.g., “if competent, then cold”, “if incompetent, then warm”) allow for the quick and easy evaluation of groups when they are compared. We claim that the application of these rules is especially attractive for people who are motivated to seek quick and firm answers (people high in the need for closure—NFC). However, we assume that when people are confronted with expectancy-inconsistent information, higher levels of NFC lead to a lower reliance on these rules. This is because the inconsistency may serve as a signal that the rules no longer provide guidance on how to act. We demonstrated these effects in three studies set in different group contexts, where we manipulated expectancy-consistent and expectancy-inconsistent information. These findings allow for a more comprehensive view of the dynamic and diverse effects of NFC.     

A transdiagnostic examination of decreased intolerance of uncertainty and treatment outcome

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is characterized by negative beliefs and reactions to uncertainty. IU is present in emotional disorders and may be a mechanism of change in treatment . There are two components of IU, prospective and inhibitory IU, that may be differentially associated with outcome. The current study tested associations between pre- and post-treatment changes in the components of IU, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and treatment outcome in a large diagnostically heterogeneous partial hospital sample. Results suggested that social anxiety disorder was associated with greater pre-treatment prospective and inhibitory IU scores than those without the diagnosis. Results also showed that inhibitory IU predicted change in anxiety and depression symptoms and prospective IU and depression reductions predicted improvements in overall psychological health and psychological inflexibility. Only change in depression predicted improvement in interpersonal relationships throughout treatment. Clinical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.