This Special Issue is concerned with the effects of three emotional states (positive affect; anxiety; and depression) on performance. More specifically, the contributors focus on the potential mediating effects of attention and of executive processes of working memory. The evidence discussed suggests that anxiety and depression both impair the executive functions of shifting and inhibition, in part due to task-irrelevant processing (e.g., rumination; worry). In contrast, positive affect seems to enhance the shifting function and does not impair the inhibition function. The complicating role of motivational intensity is also discussed, as are implications for future research.
This Special Issue is concerned with the effects of three emotional states (positive affect; anxiety; and depression) on performance. More specifically, the contributors focus on the potential mediating effects of attention and of executive processes of working memory. The evidence discussed suggests that anxiety and depression both impair the e
N. Derakshan, M.W. Eysenck, Introduction to the Special Issue: Emotional
States, Attention, and Working Memory. C. Fales, K. Becerril, K. Luking, D.
Barch, Emotional Stimulus Processing in Trait Anxiety is Modulated by
Stimulus Valence During a Working Memory Task. L. Visu-Petra, I. Tincas, L.
Cheie, O. Benga, Anxiety and Visual-spatial Memory Updating in Young
Children: An Investigation Using Emotional Facial Expressions. T.L. Ansari,
N. Derakshan, Anxiety Impairs Inhibitory Control But Not Volitional Action
Control. Y. Bar-Haim, A. Kareem, D. Lamy, D. Zakay, When Time Slows Down: The
Influence of Threat on Time Perception in Anxiety. E. De Lissnyder, E.H.W.
Koster, N. Derakshan, R. De Raedt, The Association Between Depressive
Symptoms and Executive Control Impairments in Response to Emotional and
Non-emotional Information. J. Joormann, I.H. Gotlib, Emotion Regulation in
Depression: Relation to Cognitive Inhibition. K. Johnson, C. Waugh, B.
Frederickson, Smile to See the Forest: Facially Expressed Positive Emotions
Broaden Cognition. P. Gable, E. Harmon-Jones, Implications of the
Motivational Dimensional Model of Affect for Breadth of Attention, Memory,
and Cognitive Categorisation. A.C. Savine, S.M. Beck, B.G. Edwards, K.S.
Chiew, T.S. Braver, Enhancement of Cognitive Control by Approach and
Avoidance Motivational States. G. Matthews, S.E. Campbell, Dynamic
Relationships Between Stress and Working Memory.
Nazanin Derakhshan, Birkbeck, University of London, UK Michael Eysenck, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK
