Affective forecasting during a horror attraction: insights into intolerance of uncertainty
Affective forecasting during a horror attraction: insights into intolerance of uncertainty
In this field study, we examined for the first time how Intolerance of Uncertainty influences expectations about negative, positive, and anxiety-related affect alongside the accuracy of those expectations. The study was conducted at a horror attraction, which offers an immersive, uncertain and threat-related experience. Participants (n = 1029) completed a measure of forecasted negative, positive and anxiety-related affect prior to the experience. Immediately after the experience, they rated their actual subjective experience of each of these affective states. Additionally, confidence ratings were reported for each forecasted emotion so that metacognitive awareness of forecasting accuracy could be assessed. Results showed that participants high in IU anticipated and actually experienced less positive affect, more anxiety-related affect and more negative-affect compared to those low in IU. IU predicted bias (overestimations) in emotional forecasts for negative affect, but not for positive or anxiety-related affect. The findings demonstrate that IU may be related to affective forecasting, which has implications for transdiagnostic models and treatment of psychopathology.
Affective forecasting, Anxiety, Fear, Horror, Intolerance of Uncertainty, Meta-cognition
FitzGibbon, L.
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Morriss, J.
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Clasen, M.
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Wake, S.
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Nesbit, R.
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Malmdorf Andersen, M.
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Dodd, H.F.
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18 June 2025
FitzGibbon, L.
d621433d-1c21-4155-8bed-e6d944d3bf38
Morriss, J.
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Clasen, M.
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Wake, S.
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Nesbit, R.
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Malmdorf Andersen, M.
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Dodd, H.F.
1a9b8b84-0147-4800-9da2-af800e807d02
FitzGibbon, L., Morriss, J., Clasen, M., Wake, S., Nesbit, R., Malmdorf Andersen, M. and Dodd, H.F.
(2025)
Affective forecasting during a horror attraction: insights into intolerance of uncertainty.
Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 114, [103046].
(doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2025.103046).
Abstract
In this field study, we examined for the first time how Intolerance of Uncertainty influences expectations about negative, positive, and anxiety-related affect alongside the accuracy of those expectations. The study was conducted at a horror attraction, which offers an immersive, uncertain and threat-related experience. Participants (n = 1029) completed a measure of forecasted negative, positive and anxiety-related affect prior to the experience. Immediately after the experience, they rated their actual subjective experience of each of these affective states. Additionally, confidence ratings were reported for each forecasted emotion so that metacognitive awareness of forecasting accuracy could be assessed. Results showed that participants high in IU anticipated and actually experienced less positive affect, more anxiety-related affect and more negative-affect compared to those low in IU. IU predicted bias (overestimations) in emotional forecasts for negative affect, but not for positive or anxiety-related affect. The findings demonstrate that IU may be related to affective forecasting, which has implications for transdiagnostic models and treatment of psychopathology.
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Accepted/In Press date: 6 June 2025
e-pub ahead of print date: 7 June 2025
Published date: 18 June 2025
Keywords:
Affective forecasting, Anxiety, Fear, Horror, Intolerance of Uncertainty, Meta-cognition
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 504383
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/504383
ISSN: 0887-6185
PURE UUID: 07f9ecc3-76c7-4b7b-a28a-d8724be28be5
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Date deposited: 08 Sep 2025 17:02
Last modified: 09 Sep 2025 02:12
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Contributors
Author:
L. FitzGibbon
Author:
J. Morriss
Author:
M. Clasen
Author:
S. Wake
Author:
R. Nesbit
Author:
M. Malmdorf Andersen
Author:
H.F. Dodd
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