Selective processing of anger stimuli: An investigation of the emotional Stroop effect

James Matthew Smolin, Purdue University

Abstract

The emotional Stroop task has been used to investigate the selective processing of negative emotional states, with anxiety being one of the most researched emotions. In general, results from these investigations have suggested that participants with emotional problems focus attention on emotionally relevant material, although there have been relatively few studies investigating the emotion of anger. The conclusions resulting from these studies have suggested that the selective processing of anger may differ from that of other negative emotions, such as anxiety. However, the number of studies and Stroop task procedures used to study the selective processing of anger have precluded any definitive conclusions and comparisons to other negative emotions. The current study used anger-related stimuli and emotional Stroop procedures similar to investigations conducted with anxiety to more fully understand the selective processing of anger within this context. The results indicated a strong effect for emotional stimuli; however, differences in participants categorized as being low or high on trait anger characteristics were non-significant. These and other findings have implications for theorizing about the selective processing of anger.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Conger, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Psychotherapy|Cognitive therapy

COinS