The role of competence‑related attentional bias and resilience in restoring thwarted feelings of competence

The key goal of the present study was to examine how people deal with feelings of failure stemming from negative feedback. Specifically, we investigated whether individuals, and in particular those high in resilience, would display an attentional bias for competence-related cues after receiving competence-thwarting (i.e., negative) feedback. First, we validated a dot probe task tapping into competence-related attentional bias in a pilot study with 80 participants (Mage = 19.06, SDage = 3.91; 84% female). Subsequently, in the main study, another group of 60 participants (Mage = 21.95, SDage = 3.00; 68% female) were randomly provided with either positive or negative feedback after participating in a puzzle task. Subsequently, participants’ puzzle-task competence and their attentional bias were assessed, while their behavioral persistence during a free-choice period was recorded. First, results showed that participants in the negative, relative to the positive, feedback condition experienced higher levels of puzzle-task related competence frustration and displayed a stronger attentional bias for competence-related words. Next, regression analyses revealed that only individuals high in resilience displayed an attentional bias towards competence-related words in response to negative feedback. Finally, we found that such attentional bias was functional for a recovery in feelings of competence over time among those who received negative feedback. The discussion focuses on the role of attentional bias as a potential need-restoring coping mechanism.

Publication year:2020

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