Interactions of Manifest Anxiety Score with Anagram Letter Transition Probability and Thorndike-Lorge Frequency of Solution Word

Summary

In an experiment designed for further exploration of the effects of manifest anxiety upon anagram problem solving, two levels each of manifest anxiety score, letter transition probability of anagram, and Thorndike-Lorge frequency of solution word were factorially combined (N = 40 male and 40 female freshmen and sophomores). While corroborating the previous findings that anagram solving rate is positively related to solution word frequency and negatively related to anagram letter transition probability, the results have demonstrated a significant interaction of solution word frequency, though not of anagram letter transition probability, with manifest anxiety score. This interaction, as shown in the facilitative effect of manifest anxiety with anagrams derived from high-frequency words and the inhibitory effect with anagrams derived from low-frequency words, is consistent with Taylor's interpretation that manifest anxiety, as an emotionally based drive, multiplicatively interacts with habit strength.