University of Amsterdam, Roetersstraat 15, 1018 WB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Behav Res Ther. 2010 Jan;48(1):38-43. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2009.09.005. Epub 2009 Sep 11.
Fear generalization lies at the heart of many anxiety problems, but little is known about the factors that can influence this phenomenon. The present study investigated whether verbal instructions about specific stimulus features can influence conditioned fear generalization. All participants were fear conditioned to a yellow triangle, using an electric shock. Participants had received pre-experimental instructions saying that the shapes (or colours) of the stimuli were informative for the occurrence of shock (group Shape and group Colour, respectively). Next, generalization was tested to presentations of a blue triangle (same shape) as well as a yellow square (same colour). Fear reactions were measured through skin conductance and online ratings of shock-expectancy. The results showed strongest generalization to the same shape stimulus in group Shape, versus the same colour stimulus in group Colour. Hence, the same learning experience can have opposite effects in terms of fear generalization, depending on verbally transmitted information about the relative importance of individual stimulus features.
恐惧泛化是许多焦虑问题的核心，但人们对影响这种现象的因素知之甚少。本研究调查了特定刺激特征的口头指令是否会影响条件性恐惧泛化。所有参与者都用电击对一个黄色三角形进行了恐惧条件作用。参与者接受了实验前的指导，称刺激的形状（或颜色）对电击的发生有信息作用（分别为形状组和颜色组）。接下来，对呈现蓝色三角形（相同形状）和黄色正方形（相同颜色）进行了泛化测试。通过皮肤电导和在线电击预期评分来测量恐惧反应。结果表明，在形状组中，对相同形状刺激的泛化最强，而在颜色组中，对相同颜色刺激的泛化最弱。因此，相同的学习经验会根据关于单个刺激特征相对重要性的口头信息产生相反的恐惧泛化效果。
