negative effects

What is anxiety

Unpleasant emotional state often accompanied by increased heart rate and rapid breathing

Some studies suggest anxiety has negative effects - as performance on complicated tasks is reduced by stress

Others suggest anxiety can help us recall things creating more enduring and accurate memories (positive)

What is the ke study of negative effects

What was the result of different objects the man was carrying

What does the event support the idea of

JOHNSON AND SCOTT

Suggest weapon focus effect

• ppt sit in waiting room + heard argument in next rooom

• Saw man with a pen covered in grease(low anxiety) o knife covered in blood (high anxiety)

• Mean accurate of testimony for pen was 49% and knife wa 33%

• Suggest ppt tend to focus on weapon rather crucial details (who perpetrator was)

• Event supports idea that anxiety has negative effect of EWT - ppt tend to focus on immediate danger

What is the support of negative effects (London dungeon)

Valentine studied low anxiety and high anxiety visitors to London dungeon

Low anxiety - more accurate (75%) In identifying actor

High anxiety (17%)

What is the study that shows weapon focus may not be caused by anxiety

PICKEL

Suggested that reduced accuracy upfront testimony when weapons present. Due to surprise rather anxiety

Ppt watched a thief enter salon carrying scissors (*high threat,low surprise*)

Handgun (high threat,high surprise)

Wallet (low anxiety, low surprise)

Whole raw chicken (low threat, high surprise)

Found correct identification was least accurate in high surprise conditions rather than high threat

Suggest weapon focus effect is related to surprise rather than anxiety

What is another limitation of research into anxiety and EWT -

Ways its measured may act as extraneous variable

Study - considered the way anxiety is measured in studis of anxiety and EWT

Anxiety measured subjectively (self report) or objectively (recording physical changes in body)

When both used in same study - self reported experience of anxiety doesn’t always match physiological changes observed)

Suggests apparent efffects of anxiety in research study is of the way anxiety is measured (extraneous variable) rather anxiety itself