Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory; State Anxiety

Sixty-one introductory psychology students were randomly assigned to two experimental treatment which consisted of either high or low ego-involving instructions. The entire experimental procedure, including the administrations of Spielberger's Trait Anxiety Inventory and State Anxiety Inventory, is elaborated. Results support the notion that state anxiety, i.e., feelings of apprehension and heightened nervous system activity, provides a more useful estimate of the relationship between anxiety and learning than trait anxiety, i.e., anxiety proneness. Support is also added to the notion that task conditions affect anxiety, in this case a concept learning task. Advantages of the author's research design are highlighted. 0714 v--4 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH