本研究目的在於了解憂慮透過什麼樣的機制影響行動控制的表現。影響行動控制的機制包含兩大成份:認知能力表現(如執行功能)與動機傾向。過去研究發現憂慮會導致個人的執行功能受到干擾(Hirsch & Mathews, 2012),使個人行動控制效能下降。然而,過去研究尚未回答憂慮是否透過改變個體之動機進而影響行動控制的效能,如促發固著反覆的行動風格等。在憂慮的相關心理病理研究中,憂慮干擾能力與改變動機兩者間的差異與關係迄今仍待釐清。本研究嘗試區分兩者的影響,並探討兩者之間的各別影響行動控制的可能。具體言之,本研究假設高憂慮者之憂慮可能影響個體行動控制的機制,同時包含干擾能力與促發特定動機。方法:參與者為84位大學生,以賓州憂慮量表區分高/正常憂慮組,每組的參與者再被隨機分配至憂慮思考操弄或正向思考操弄。每位參與者皆進行自發性作業轉換程序,此程序包含兩階段,分別為努力嘗試嘗試階段與自由嘗試階段,此二階段依隨機方式呈現,藉以區分不同的作業要求脈絡,以探討憂慮在不同行動控制脈絡下對動機或認知能力的影響。本研究的依變項為維持作業比率、反覆嘗試項反應時間、轉換損失、正確率與實驗後設評估等。結果:在憂慮思考操弄下,高憂慮者在兩個作業階段皆展現較高的維持作業比率,但整體的重複反應項反應時間卻表現最快,顯示該組參與者在作業中有較少的自發轉換嘗試,但也避免了作業反應時間效能上的損失。結論:本研究結果顯示,在憂慮思考下的高憂慮者,容易採用較固著反覆的行動控制風格、專注單一法則判斷與減少反應時間損失,顯示憂慮者的憂慮思考在動機促發上的角色。因此在探討憂慮與行動控制表現間的關係時,需同時考慮憂慮對執行功能的干擾,與憂慮者在思考狀態下所展現的動機傾向。相關臨床研究與介入方案應進一步考量憂慮在影響動機的角色。
Objective: The present study investigeted that the effect of worry on individual's action control. Research has found that worry interferes executive function's efficacy (Hirsch & Mathews, 2012) and impairs the performance of action control; however, worry has not been examined its motivational role on action control. This study explores the differential role of worry on executive function and motivation. Methods: High and low worriers (n = 84) are assigned to two thought conditions (i.e., thinking about a current worry or a positive personally relevant topic) and performed a modified spontaneous task-switching procedure. In the procedure, every subject finished 2 phases of the task that manipulated the context of action control (manipulated the goals of task and the degree of cognitive load). Results: In both phases, high worriers in the worry thought condition showed less spontaneous task switch, but faster reaction time than other condition in the trials of repeated task-set. High worrier also showed more negative self-efficacy of action control in the experiment. Conclusion: These results revealed that high worriers under worry would activated perseverative-iterative control style to interact with the task. There was also preliminary evidence of the motivational role of worry and worrier's personal motivational tendency.