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Chronic construct accessibility in socially phobic and agoraphobic outpatients

University of British Columbia

According to theories of social cognition, individuals screen incoming information from the environment using certain cognitive constructs (Wyer & Srull, 1986). Personally relevant construct systems develop from an individuals's particular history of social interactions (Wyer & Srull, 1986). A concern in social cognition theory is whether there are cognitive processes specific to different complaints (Beck & Emery, 1985). This study investigated whether the content of chronically accessible or salient constructs interpersonal constructs could differentiate individuals with social fears from those with different emotional complaints. The accessibility and salience of social constructs of social phobics, agoraphobics, and normal subjects were examined. No differences were found between the groups on an unstructured measure of construct accessibility. Group differences did emerge on a structured task reflecting salience of specific traits. Individuals with agoraphobia reported that they would be more attentive to the dimensions supportive-critical and enabling-bossy. This is consistent with current conceptualizations of agoraphobics as individuals who do not feel they can cope with the dangers of the outside world, and are compelled to seek help from a 'caregiver' (Beck & Emery, 1985). Social phobics reported that they would not be particularly attentive to any of the traits. This may be a result of socially phobic individuals self-focused attention.

Text

2010-12-16

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/30421

Psychology

University of British Columbia

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