Acute Stress and Perceptual Load Consume the Same Attentional Resources: A Behavioral-ERP Study
Fig 4
Behavioral response time results.
ANOVA repeated measures indicated a significant three-way interaction picture valence X load X group, p < .05. In the control group (n = 17), negative pictures under low perceptual load increased RTs compared to neutral pictures, but not under high perceptual load. In addition, picture presence (negative and neutral) increased RTs in both low and high perceptual load. In the TSST group (n = 17), RTs were not increased due to negative pictures under both low and high perceptual loads; however, picture presence increased RTs in low load but not in high load conditions. In both groups RTs were generally slower under high load than in low load condition. The error bars represent SE. Note: RT = response time in ms.