The Predictors of Anticipatory Processing before a Social-Evaluative Situation

Abstract

Anticipatory processing is a repetitive thinking process that precedes social-evaluative events. The aim of this study was to examine factors that may predict the extent to which individuals engage in anticipatory processing. Perfectionistic beliefs, social interaction anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, anticipatory processing prior to a past social/performance situation, and positive beliefs about anticipatory processing were assessed in a large college student sample (N = 225). Anticipatory processing was greater prior to performance situations relative to social interaction situations. In addition, social interaction anxiety and anxiety sensitivity, but not perfectionistic beliefs or positive beliefs about anticipatory processing, significantly predicted the extent to which the participants engaged in anticipatory processing related to an anxiety-provoking event. Finally, there was preliminary evidence that factors impacting on the anticipatory processing may vary according to the nature of social situation.