Observational threat learning influences costly avoidance behaviour in healthy humans.
Sci Rep
; 14(1): 17346, 2024 07 28.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39069563
ABSTRACT
Avoidance is an essential behaviour for ensuring safety in uncertain and dangerous environments. One way to learn what is dangerous and must be avoided is through observational threat learning. This online study explored the behavioural implications of observed threat learning, examining how participants avoided or approached a learned threat and how this affected their movement patterns. Participants (n = 89) completed an observational threat learning task, rating their fear, discomfort, and physical arousal in response to conditioned stimuli. The retrieval of learned threat was reassessed 24 h later, followed by a reminder of the observed threat associations. Participants subsequently completed a computerised avoidance task, in which they navigated from a starting point to an endpoint by selecting one of two doors, each associated with either safety or danger, relying on observed information. Opting for the safe door entailed increased effort to attain the goal. Results demonstrated that observational threat learning influenced avoidance behaviour and decision-making dependent on baseline effort level. Participants tended to exhibit thigmotaxis, staying close to walls and taking extra steps to reach their goal. This behaviour indirectly mediated the number of steps taken. This study provides valuable insights into avoidance behaviour following observational threat learning in healthy humans.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Avoidance Learning
/
Fear
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Sci Rep
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Germany
Country of publication:
United kingdom