Prediction and control: operational definitions for the experimental analysis of anxiety

Prediction and/or control of threatening events generally results in less p ronounced anxiety-related responding compared to when those same events are unpredictable or uncontrollable. For this reason, researchers have suggest ed that predictability and controllability may modulate anxiety-related res ponding, thereby serving an important role in the development and progressi on of anxiety pathology. Despite the recognized importance of prediction an d control for anxiety, these variables have not been defined or operational ized in a uniform and unambiguous manner. In this article, we propose an op erational definition that defines and distinguishes prediction and control in terms of the onset and offset of an aversive event. This operationalizat ion is aimed at facilitating experimental-based efforts to explore the inde pendent and interactive effects of the prediction and control on anxious re sponding. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.