The mediating role of cognition in the experience of state anxiety

Abstract

Two studies investigated the inter‐relationship of cognitions, state anxiety, and predispositional apprehension during public presentations. Using both free‐recall format and standard measures, participants were asked to describe the thoughts and feelings they experienced while presenting two graded classroom speeches and an impromptu speech. Results indicated that the categories of thoughts were highly consistent across speeches and situations, with negative thoughts predominating among more anxious speakers. State anxiety and types of thoughts were correlated with each other and with trait anxiety. However neither was solely a function of the trait which did not significantly impact the relationship of the two processes.