Cortisol reactivity in the laboratory predicts ineffectual attentional control in daily life

Objective: The objective was to examine an executive control difficulty perspective on individual differences in cortisol reactivity using a daily protocol.

Design: Fifty participants competed a laboratory stressor task and individualdifferences in cortisol reactivity were quantified.

Main outcome measures: Daily attentional control, conflicting thoughts, error reactivity, worry and mindfulness were assessed.

Results: The findings support the idea that as cortisol responses to stress get larger (as an individual difference), attentional control ceases to function as it should in terms of variables that should predict (mindfulness) and follow from (e.g. worry) it.

Conclusion: The findings support the idea that individual differences in cortisol reactivity can be conceptualised in terms of ineffectual attentional control.