Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35879504›Full record

ArticleBehavior research methods2023

A method to induce stress in human subjects in online research environments.

Mohammed A Almazrouei, Ruth M Morgan, Itiel E Dror

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Behavior research methods, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Human factors in triaging forensic items: Casework pressures and ambiguity aversion.Science & justice : journal of the Forensic Science Society · 2025
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Mohammed A AlmazroueiUCL Department of Security and Crime Science, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9EZ, UK. mohammed.almazrouei@ucl.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-5373-7538
Ruth M MorganUCL Department of Security and Crime Science, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9EZ, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-4146-654X
Itiel E DrorUCL Department of Security and Crime Science, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9EZ, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-4866-209X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This paper presents a method to induce stress in human subjects during online participation in research studies without the presence of researchers. In this study, participants in the stress-inducing condition (N = 52, 44%) were asked to answer general knowledge and mathematical questions which people often get wrong, and did so under time pressure as well as receiving feedback. In contrast, participants in the control condition (N = 66, 56%) did not have time pressure or receive feedback. The stress manipulation was found to be effective, as the reported state anxiety and visual analog scale on stress scores were higher for the stress group than for the non-stress group (both findings, p < 0.001). Consistent findings were found when accounting for trait anxiety as a moderator, with the exception of the state anxiety levels in high trait anxiety group. This stressing method combines the established stress conditions of uncontrollability (such as time pressures) and social evaluative threats (such as negative feedback). In addition, the method contains specific measures (such as a commitment statement and attention check questions) to enhance the internal validity by preventing and detecting cheating or random responses. This method can be deployed through any commonly available online software. It offers a simple and cost-effective way to collect data online - which fits the increasing need to carry out research in virtual and online environments.

Indexed as

AnxietySoftwareHumansResearch SubjectsCOVID-19CrowdsourcingHuman subjectsOnline studyStress

Identifiers

PMID35879504
PMCPMC9311341

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.