Anxiety and cognitive-task performance

The performance of individuals high and low in trait anxiety was compared on a cognitive task involving letter transformation. This task was performed in the presence or absence of monetary incentive for superior performance. Adverse effects of anxiety on performance were apparent only on the more complex versions of the letter-transformation task. Analysis of the microstructure of the task indicated that anxiety impaired the rehearsal and storage of task-relevant information. Motivation in the form of monetary incentive improved the performance of low-trait-anxiety Ss, but had no effect on high-trait-anxiety Ss. The findings were discussed with reference to the working memory system and the theory proposed by Eysenck (1979).