INFLUENCE OF INTELLIGENCE ON ANXIETY AND PERCEPTION OF SELF AND OTHERS1

Abstract

The view that anxiety is associated with dissatisfaction with self and others is widely held, and it has found support in a number of studies (2, 3, 5, 7, 13, 17). However, in previous research only slight attention has been given to the characteristics of the Ss which were studied. Consequently, little is known about the effects which such characteristics have on anxiety relationships. Yet, it seems reasonable to believe that the development of anxiety and the occasions in which anxiety occurs are conditioned by and depend to some extent on the individual's personal characteristics and experiences. As an underlying assumption of this research, it was reasoned that differences in relationships between anxiety and attitudes toward self and others would be explicable in terms of the theoretical formulations of Rogers, Sarason, and others (4, 9, 10o, 12, 15). This rationale may be briefly summarized as follows: When an individual is unable to make responses which lead to success, frustration is produced and anxiety is aroused. In the beginning, this anxiety leads to self-dissatisfaction and increased goaloriented reactions. The self tends to be perceived as responsible for the frustration, and there is increased awareness of needs, of the obstacles to the satisfaction of needs, and of instrumental ways of overcoming obstacles. But as frustrations continue and anxiety grows more intense, behavior becomes more and more centered on the reduction of anxiety through defense mechanisms. As a result, defense-oriented reactions increase and others are perceived as responsible for the frustrations. The specific purpose of the study reported here was to investigate the effects of intelligence on relationships between anxiety and attitudes toward self and others. If bright Ss tend to be less frustrated and more successful,