#3289. Biased probability estimates in trait anxiety and trait depression are unrelated to biased availability

August 2026publication date
Proposal available till 31-05-2025
4 total number of authors per manuscript0 $

The title of the journal is available only for the authors who have already paid for
Journal’s subject area:
Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous);
Clinical Psychology;
Psychiatry and Mental Health;
Experimental and Cognitive Psychology;
Places in the authors’ list:
place 1place 2place 3place 4
FreeFreeFreeFree
2350 $1200 $1050 $900 $
Contract №3289.1 Contract №3289.2 Contract №3289.3 Contract №3289.4
1 place - free (for sale)
2 place - free (for sale)
3 place - free (for sale)
4 place - free (for sale)

Abstract:
People high in trait anxiety or depression overestimate the probability of negative events, and underestimate the probability of positive events, relative to people low in trait anxiety and depression. We tested, for the first time, whether individual differences in the availability of such reasons mediate the relationships between trait anxiety or depression and probability bias, in a nonclinical sample. Two hundred and seventy-eight undergraduates generated reasons why a set of positive and negative events might vs. might not happen to them, before rating those events probability and potential impact on their lives. Individual differences in the availability of reasons why good and bad events might vs. might not happen did not mediate the sizeable relationships between trait anxiety and probability bias. Replication with patient groups would be invaluable; different operationalisations of availability may change the results.
Keywords:
Anxiety; Availability heuristic; Cost bias; Depression; Probability bias

Contacts :
0