Abstract
We tested the frequent assumption that the difficulty of word retrieval increases when a speaker is being observed and evaluated. We modified the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) so that participants believed that its evaluative observation components continued throughout the duration of a subsequent word retrieval task, and measured participants’ reported tip of the tongue (TOT) states. Participants in this TSST condition experienced more TOTs than participants in a comparable, placebo TSST condition in which there was no suggestion of evaluative observation. This experiment provides initial evidence confirming the assumption that evaluative observation by a third party can be disruptive to word retrieval.We interpret our findings by proposing an extension to a well-supported theoretical model of TOTs.
Christopher J. Schmank
Statistics Consultant and Instructor/Assistant Professor
My research interests include the impact of psychosocial stress and emotional regulation on various cognitive abilities (i.e., processing speed, rationality, and language production). My additional skills include statistical modeling techniques using latent variable and/or psychometric network analyses. I am also experienced in user experience strategy and research including A/B testing, rapid prototyping, and competitive analyses.