Title
The impact of rumination on internal attention switching
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Cognition and Emotion
Publication Date
1-1-2012
Volume
26
Issue
2
First Page
209
Last Page
223
Publisher
Routledge
Keywords
Attention Switching, Event-Related Potentials, Mood Effects, Rumination, Stimulus Affectivity, Switch Costs
Abstract
The present study explored the nature of attention control problems associated with ruminative traits. Experiment 1 aimed to establish the validity of a modified mental counting task that assesses individuals' ability to switch attention between internal mental representations. Reaction time and brain activity (event related potential; ERP) measures were examined, and results showed that the task was sensitive to internal attention switching effects. Experiment 2 assessed how the relationship between ruminative tendencies and switching performance differs when participants attend to neutral versus affective materials under different mood states. Although reaction-time analysis suggested that both mood condition and stimulus affectivity were not significant in altering this association, ERP analysis suggested otherwise. A significant task type×trait rumination × mood condition effect was found for switch-related ERP responses, whereby high ruminators were found to deploy more neuronal resources when switching affective materials in sad mood state.
DOI
10.1080/02699931.2011.574997
Print ISSN
02699931
E-ISSN
14640600
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2012 Psychology Press Ltd.
Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Lo, B. C. Y., Lau, S., Cheung, S.-h., & Allen, N. B. (2012). The impact of rumination on internal attention switching. Cognition and Emotion, 26(2), 209-223. doi: 10.1080/02699931.2011.574997
