Examining the roles of biased expectancies and weighting of valenced information in trait anxiety-linked state affect when approaching potentially stressful future events.

Authors

Amelia Reynolds, Colin MacLeod, Ben Grafton

Published in

Behaviour research and therapy. Volume 203. Pages 105105. Jun 26, 2026. Epub Jun 26, 2026.

Abstract

The present study addresses two issues concerning candidate mechanisms potentially underpinning the inflated negative (relative to positive) state affect experienced by people high in trait anxiety when anticipating potentially stressful future events. Specifically, we sought to determine whether a tendency to hold negative (relative to positive) expectancies (i.e., negative expectancy bias) contributes to this trait anxiety-linked inflated negative state affect. Additionally, we sought to determine whether a tendency to afford more weight to negative (relative to positive) information concerning potential stressors (i.e., negative weighting bias) contributes to such trait anxiety-linked negative expectancy bias. Participants relatively low and high in trait anxiety (N = 160) completed the experimental session, in which they were informed they may view a potentially stressful film. As participants anticipated this film viewing stressor, we had them report their negative and positive state affect, as well as their negative and positive expectancies concerning the film viewing stressor. To assess relative weighting of negative and positive information, participants were also randomly assigned to conditions in which they were presented either negative or positive information concerning the film viewing stressor. The results provided evidence of an indirect association between trait anxiety and inflated negative (relative to positive) state affect mediated via negative expectancy bias. The results also provided no evidence that a negative weighting bias contributes to such trait anxiety-linked negative expectancy bias. Findings are discussed with regards to limitations and potential implications for cognitive behavioural interventions for clinical anxiety disorders. Alternative candidate explanations for trait anxiety-linked negative expectancy bias are also discussed to illustrate a potential avenue for future research to improve our understanding of high trait anxiety, and the efficacy of interventions aimed at associated disorders.

PMID:
42372372
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 30 Jun 2026.

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