The Power of Subliminal vs. Supraliminal versions of the Combi Emotional Stroop Test in Measuring Attentional Bias for test and Social Anxiety

Abstract

The present study was carried out with the purpose of investigating cognitive attentional bias in non-clinical populations as well as evaluation of attentional bias in groups with high social and test anxiety on two subliminal and supraliminal levels. First, 300 third-grade female high-school students filled out test anxiety and social anxiety questionnaires. Afterwards, 60 high-anxiety students were selected as the subjects of the study on the basis of social anxiety (N=30) and test anxiety (n=30) variables. Moreover, in each group, 15 students were assessed as the control group. In the second stage of the study, using the Combined Emotional Stroop Test, attentional bias of the participants was assessed on two subliminal and supraliminal levels in response to anxiety stimulants. The results showed that response times and interference scores of the experimental groups were not significantly different from those of the control groups on both subliminal and supraliminal levels.