General versus specific trait anxiety measures in the prediction of fear of snakes, heights, and darkness

• Published in: Journal of consulting and clinical psychology 1976-02, Vol.44 (1), p.83-91
• Main Authors: Mellstrom, Martin, Cicala, George A, Zuckerman, Marvin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acrophobia; Animals; Anxiety; Anxiety - diagnosis; Arousal; Darkness; Depth Perception; Fear; Female; Human; Humans; Manifest Anxiety Scale; Ophidiophobia; Personality Inventory; Personality Measures; Personality Traits; Phobias; Phobic Disorders - diagnosis; Psychological Tests; Snakes
• ISSN: 0022-006X; 1939-2117
• DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.44.1.83

Investigated the relation between general and specific trait anxiety tests and fear measures in 3 actual situations. Both types of test (e.g., State-Trait Anxiety Inventory A-Trait scale, Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale, Neuroticism scale of the Eysenck Personality Inventory, Geer Fear Survey Schedule, and 3 specific fear questionnaires) were administered to 76 undergraduate females early in the semester. Later, each S was exposed to each situation, where observer's ratings, behavioral, and subjective fear measures were obtained. Results indicate that the specific tests were clearly superior to the general ones in predicting fear of snakes but only slightly superior in predicting fear of heights and darkness. It is concluded that the overall superiority of the specific measures supports the current trend toward situation specificity in personality assessment. The roles played by threat to self-esteem, the form of the general trait anxiety measurement, and sensation seeking are also discussed. (25 ref)