ABSTRACT
We evaluated whether an extinction cue can reduce (or prevent) the recovery of previously extinguished fear conditioning using an ABC renewal design in humans. Two experiments were carried out. In Experiment 1, two groups were presented with geometric shapes as conditioned stimulus (CS), followed by a small electric shock as unconditioned stimulus (US) during the acquisition phase. Conditioned fear was measured as ratings of US expectancy and changes in skin conductance response (SCR). During the extinction phase, both groups received presentations of the CS without the US, while an extinction cue (EC) was presented. Both groups were tested in both the extinction context (extinction test) and a new context (renewal test) immediately and 48 hours after the end of the extinction phase (spontaneous recovery). Half of the subjects were tested in the presence of the EC (Group Extinction cue) while the other half were tested in the presence of a neutral cue (Group Neutral cue). The results suggested that the EC reduced the recovery of fear produced by a context change, but that this reduction was not maintained over time. Experiment 2 increased the salience of the EC and the contexts, however, results showed that the EC was unable to reduce the renewal of fear conditioning. These results are discussed as a function of the experimental manipulations performed, and their theoretical and practical implications (AU)
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Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adolescent , Young Adult , Adult , Fear/psychology , Conditioning, Psychological , Extinction, Psychological , Psychological Techniques , Signal Detection, Psychological , Translational Research, Biomedical , Conditioning, ClassicalABSTRACT
the goal of this study was to identify a valid set of fear-evoking pictures from IAPS images (Lang, Bradley, & Cuthbert, 2008) in a Chilean Sample. To do so, categorical and dimensional ratings of pictures made by our participants were analyzed, considering potential sex differences. We also evaluated potential transcultural differences by comparing our results with the results of Barke, Stahl, & Kröner-Herwig (2012), whose methodology was followed in the present study, but incorporating new statistical criteria for the valid identification of pictures that evoke fear. Sixty Chilean volunteers (30 women) with a mean age of 22.3 years rated 146 pictures of the LAPS regarding to the choice of discrete emotions and the ratings of valence, arousal and dominance. Six pictures were identified that evoked fear significantly more than any other emotion. Compared to the German sample, the Chilean group evaluated images with more arousal and valence.
El objetivo del presente estudio fue identificar, en una muestra chilena, un conjunto válido de imágenes provocadoras de miedo a partir de un conjunto de imágenes del IAPS (Lang, Bradley, & Cuthbert, 2008). Para ello, se analizaron las calificaciones categoriales y dimensionales de las imágenes observadas por 60 participantes, evaluando la existencia de diferencias en función del sexo del examinado. Asimismo, se estudiaron posibles diferencias transculturales, comparando los resultados obtenidos con los hallazgos de Barke, Stahl y Kröner-Herwig (2012), cuya metodología fue similar a la utilizada en este trabajo. Así, 60 voluntarios chilenos (30 mujeres) con una media de 22,3 años, puntuaron 146 imágenes del IAPS respecto a la elección de las emociones y las calificaciones de valencia, excitación y dominio. Se identificaron seis imágenes que provocaron más miedo que cualquier otra emoción. En comparación con la muestra alemana, el grupo chileno evaluó las imágenes con mayor excitación y valencia.
