Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40181887›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychology2025

Characterizing the functioning of the attentional networks in state and trait anxiety: the role of affective information.

Antonia Pilar Pacheco-Unguetti, Alberto Acosta, Juan Lupiáñez

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. 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.

Antonia Pilar Pacheco-UnguettiDepartment of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatment, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Alberto AcostaMind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Juan LupiáñezMind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of the present research was to examine the role of affective information in the functioning of attentional networks in individuals with high vs. low trait or state anxiety. Previous studies suggest that anxiety can influence attentional processes, but the impact of affective information, such as alerting emotional stimuli, on these attentional networks remains unclear. Methods: We conducted a set of experiments using negative or neutral faces as alerting stimuli, presented either alone or together with a neutral sound, within a modified version of the Attention Network Test-Interactions (ANT-I). Additionally, data from previous experiments with similar anxiety groups and without affective manipulations of alertness were analyzed for comparative insights (378 participants in total). Results: Results showed three main effects on the functioning of attentional networks when affective alerting signals were introduced: (1) the alertness effect is increased, (2) the interference effect is increased, and (3) the orienting effect is decreased. These effects occurred regardless of the valence of the alerting stimuli on a given trial. Importantly, the presence of affective information on some trials eliminated the group differences regarding the functioning of the attentional networks that are usually found when no affective information is presented. Specifically, the larger interference effect commonly observed in individuals with high trait-anxiety and the larger alertness and orienting effects seen in those with high state-anxiety, disappeared when emotional alerting stimuli were included. Discussion: The findings suggest that emotional information can significantly impact the functioning of attentional networks, particularly in relation to anxiety. The presence of affective stimuli seems to modulate attentional biases associated with anxiety, potentially neutralizing the usual effects seen in individuals with high trait or state anxiety. The role of affective information on the functioning of the attentional networks is discussed within the framework of anxiety and attention.

Indexed as

affective manipulationsalerting networkattentional networksstate-anxietytrait-anxiety

Identifiers

PMID40181887
PMCPMC11966962

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.