Study of Anxiety and Automation

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Automation`s implications on anxiety`s effects in solving complicated tasks

Abstract

The study of anxiety and automation took a great extent in the twentieth century giving basis to different theories and opinions. Current study is based on differences between anxious and non- anxious subjects on their performance in solving simple and complex tasks before and after a learning phase and automation. Current study wants to draw attention to the fact that automation diminishes the impact of anxiety on performance, especially in solving complex tasks by reducing the level of attention and the depth of conscious processing and by avoiding the sub activation of the units in the working memory involved in complex tasks.

Keywords: anxiety, automation, performance, tasks complexity

It is found in recent years an influx of conflicting theories and opinions in the area of automation of information processing. Current study wants to study the impact of learning, respectively automation in both anxious and non-anxious subjects` performance that in typical situations is affected by anxiety or arousal. Anxiety is defined by Spielberger in 1972 as' unpleasant feelings, consciously perceived, feelings of tension and apprehension with associated activation or arousal of the autonomic nervous system"(Spielberger, 1972, p.29). Anxiety is studied since Yerkes & Dodson, whose research is materialized in the Yerkes & Dodson law and continues to the present, recently distinguishing between the different impact that anxiety has on processing efficiency and the effectiveness of performance, the former being significantly affected more and the level of the latter not being found too many visible differences. These kinds of studies are ba...

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... the units responsible for solving the problems, and in the sense of reducing the use of attention by these units.

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