Acute psychosocial stress differentially affects cognitive flexibility by sex (significant Sex × Condition interaction on perseverative errors)¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q3 · i1 small
Currency · newest study 2016 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

Reading the evidence codes

q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.

This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.

q3 i1 In a randomized experiment, the effect of acute stress on perseverative errors differed by sex (Sex × Condition interaction, η2partial=.037). → Shields Grant S. 2016

Evidence¶

Shields Grant S. 2016¶

Shields Grant S., Trainor Brian C., Lam Jovian C. W., Yonelinas Andrew P. (2016). Acute Stress Impairs Cognitive Flexibility in Men, Not Women. Stress. https://doi.org/10.1080/10253890.2016.1192603

q3 · i1 · causal · r2

Randomized mixed-model ANOVA with Sex and Condition as between-subjects factors in 113 healthy young adults; participants nested within session. The article reports the omnibus interaction as significant with a small printed effect size, η2partial=.037.

"However, as hypothesized, the Sex × Condition interaction was significant, F(1,113.0)=4.32, p=.040, η2partial=.037, indicating stress differentially influenced cognitive flexibility by sex."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

Executive Function — moderator: an instructional effect differs with it
Gender — moderator: an instructional effect differs by group

Acute stress impaired cognitive flexibility in men (more perseverative errors than male controls) — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
Acute stress did not significantly affect women's cognitive flexibility — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
Changes in cortisol did not predict perseverative errors in any sex — related
Menstrual cycle phase did not significantly moderate stress effects on cognitive flexibility — related
The TSST-G stress induction increased negative affect and cortisol relative to control — related
Stress-exposed adolescents show impaired cognitive flexibility in reversal learning — related

Page metadata

Field	Value
`type`	`claim`
`id`	`acute-stress-sex-specific-cognitive-flexibility`
`title`	`Acute psychosocial stress differentially affects cognitive flexibility by sex (significant Sex × Condition interaction on perseverative errors)`
`description`	`Acute psychosocial stress differentially affects cognitive flexibility by sex (significant Sex × Condition interaction on perseverative errors)`
`status`	`review`
`evidence_strength`	`moderate`
`newest_evidence`	`2016`
`source_checked`	`2026-10-20`
`generated`	by `process:wiki-ingest` on `2026-10-17`
`trust`	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
`sources`	1 — `shields-grant-s-2016`

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