2014 Stern CircumventingAnxietyDuringInterpersonal
The article investigates whether forming implementation intentions—if‑then plans that pair the cue of anxiety with a goal‑directed response—can increase people’s interest in sustained contact with new acquaintances without actually reducing their experienced anxiety. Across three studies, participants were assigned to (a) an implementation‑intention condition (e.g., “If I feel anxious, then I will focus on the task” or “If I feel uncomfortable, then I will tell myself I can be confident”), (b) a goal‑only condition (providing only the response but no cue), or (c) a no‑strategy control. Study 1 used a laboratory dyadic American Sign Language (ASL) task that reliably induced anxiety; participants who formed implementation intentions reported higher interest in future contact than those in the goal‑only condition, while anxiety levels remained equal. Study 2 extended the paradigm to everyday interracial interactions via a week‑long online diary and a one‑year follow‑up; implementation intentions eventually (after the first diary wave) produced greater interest in contact and more positive out‑group attitudes, again without lowering anxiety. Study 3 examined a behavioral proxy of closeness—interpersonal distance—by having participants set up chairs before an anticipated interracial interaction; those with implementation intentions placed chairs significantly closer than the other groups, with no anxiety differences. The general discussion argues that implementation intentions work by “shielding” individuals from the detrimental effects of anxiety rather than by reducing anxiety itself, that the effect generalizes across contexts, interaction structures, and time, and that tailoring the goal‑directed response to the interaction context enhances effectiveness. The authors conclude that simple, once‑learned if‑then plans can promote sustained intergroup contact and improve attitudes without demanding extensive anxiety‑reduction training.
Topics
Implementation Intentions as a Shield Against Anxiety
Definition and theoretical rationale for using if‑then plans that pair anxiety (cue) with a goal‑directed response to protect goal pursuit without reducing the affective state.
Study 1: Lab‑Based ASL Task Demonstrates Immediate Interest Boost
Methodology (70 female participants, dyadic ASL task, goal‑only vs. implementation intention), measures (post‑interaction anxiety, interest in sustained contact), and key finding (implementation intention ↑ interest, anxiety unchanged).
Study 3: Chair‑Distance Behavioral Measure of Closeness
Anticipated interracial interaction, three conditions, measurement of physical distance between chairs, result (implementation intention participants set chairs closer), anxiety unchanged.
General Theoretical Contribution: Shielding vs. Anxiety‑Reduction
Argument that facilitating contact does not require lowering anxiety; instead, linking anxiety to a constructive cue protects goal pursuit, extending Gollwitzer’s implementation‑intention literature to intergroup contexts.
Practical Implications for Intergroup Contact Interventions
Implications for designing low‑effort, scalable interventions (single‑session if‑then training) to promote sustained interracial contact and improve out‑group attitudes without intensive therapy.