Effects of pressure and individual neuroticism on emotional responses to task-role ambiguity

Abstract

Conducted a study of 106 graduate students (identified as high or low in neuroticism by scores on the Eysenck Personality Inventory) to test the hypothesis that task-role ambiguity is aversive in the presence of independently induced pressure and not aversive in a low-pressure situation; individual neuroticism was hypothesized to be a trait which explained additional variance in reactions to ambiguity. Ss were administered structured or ambiguous exams under high or low pressure. Attitudes toward the exam and self-confidence were negatively affected by ambiguity only under high pressure. Ambiguity led to greater reported emotional stress only in high-neuroticism individuals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)