Anxiety as a determinant of differential responsivity to reward and punishment

Abstract

Reward and punishment have been studied in the laboratory for their relative effects on learning processes and on perceptual processes they have been studied in the classroom for their relative effects on learning and on modification of performance of various motor and mental tasks; they have been studied in relation to intellectual, age and sex factors, and temperamental or personality factors; and they have recently been studied in a clinical setting in connection with problems of psychopathology, The studies concerned with personality variables reflect a broadening concern with personality dynamics that has accompanied the recent rapid expansion of interest in the clinical area of psychology. They strongly suggest that there are differences related to personality factors in the effects and perhaps the effectiveness of rewarding and punishing incentive conditions. It was to explore some of the implications of these studies and to extend the empirical data in this area that the present research was designed. It was to explore some of the implications of these studies and to extend the empirical data in this area that the present research was designed. To provide a framework for the discussion which follows the major aspects of two studies will be outlined.