Effects of Orienting Instructions, Feedback-Information, and Trait-Anxiety Level on State-Anxiety

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of orienting instructions and feedback-information on state anxiety (A-state) for Ss who differed in trait anxiety (A-trait). A-state and A-trait were measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Differential orienting instructions (ego vs task) had no effect on change in A-state scores from a pretest to a test period. However, differential feedback-information was a significant determinant of change in A-state, with failure-feedback inducing greater increases in A-state than either no feedback or success-feedback. The largest differential increase in A-state scores between Ss high and low in A-trait occurred with the failure-feedback, though this effect only approached statistical significance.