2007/01/01 by Michael W. Eysenck, Nazanin Derakshan, Rita Santos +1 · 4 citations
Neuroscience · Psychology · #Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies #Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes #Behavioral Health and Interventions
paper · doi:10.1037/1528-3542.7.2.336
openalex publication_date 2007/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
Attentional control theory is an approach to anxiety and cognition representing a major development of Eysenck and Calvo's (1992) processing efficiency theory. It is assumed that anxiety impairs efficient functioning of the goal-directed attentional system and increases the extent to which processing is influenced by the stimulus-driven attentional system. In addition to decreasing attentional control, anxiety increases attention to threat-related stimuli. Adverse effects of anxiety on processing efficiency depend on two central executive functions involving attentional control: inhibition and shifting. However, anxiety may not impair performance effectiveness (quality of performance) when it leads to the use of compensatory strategies (e.g., enhanced effort; increased use of processing resources). Directions for future research are discussed.