Effect of State and Trait Anxiety and Prestige of Model on Imitation

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of state and trait anxiety on subjects' imitation of prestigious models. Female undergraduates were administered the Trait-anxiety scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and were then subjected either to anxiety inductions or relaxation procedures to manipulate state-anxiety levels. Four groups of 30 subjects each were obtained: high trait-high state, low trait-low state, high trait-low state, and low trait-high state. Subjects were then exposed to either a model of high prestige, one of low prestige, or a no-model condition. A visual fixation measure was taken to determine the amount of time subjects actually spent observing the model. A significant correlation was found between time spent observing the model and time taken to complete the maze. Subjects observing the model of high prestige tended to imitate the model's response style more than subjects observing one low in prestige. Highly trait-anxious subjects imitated more than low trait-anxious subjects when exposed to the model high in prestige. Since this study used only females, inferences to males should be made cautiously.