Anxiety Selectively Increases Information-Seeking in Response to Large Changes
Abstract
Background: Seeking information when anxious may help reduce the aversive feeling of uncertainty and guide decision-making. If information is negative or confusing, however, this may further increase anxiety. Information gathered under anxiety can thus be beneficial and/or damaging. Here, we examine whether anxiety generally increases information-seeking, or rather selectively alters the type of information sought depending on the situation. Methods: In two lab studies, participants completed an information-seeking task designed to dissociate general from selective information-seeking tendencies, while anxiety was assessed through self-reported trait anxiety (Study a, N=42) or manipulated using a variation of the Trier Social Stress Test (Study b, N=48). Results: Both trait anxiety and induced anxiety led to a selective increase in information-seeking. In particular, anxiety did not enhance the general tendency to seek information, nor did it alter the valence of the information gathered. Rather, anxiety increased information-seeking specifically in response to large changes in the environment (trait anxiety: p=0.03, induced anxiety: p=0.02). This was true even though the cause of the anxiety was unrelated to the information sought. Conclusions: As anxious individuals have difficulty in learning under changing environments, greater information-seeking in such environments may be an adaptive compensatory mechanism.
Additional Information
© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc. Available online 28 April 2022, Version of Record 28 April 2022. Supported By: Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow, FWO postdoctoral fellowship, Sir Henry Postdoctoral Fellowship.Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 115677
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.02.349
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20220719-154312300
- Wellcome Trust
- Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO)
- Sir Henry Wellcome Fellowship
- Created
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2022-07-20Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2022-07-20Created from EPrint's last_modified field