Aversive Imagery Causes De Novo Fear Conditioning

• Published in: Psychological science Vol. 30; no. 7; pp. 1001 - 1015
• Main Authors: Mueller, Erik M., Sperl, Matthias F. J., Panitz, Christian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Sage Publications, Inc 01.07.2019; SAGE Publications; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adult; Aversive; Bradycardia; Classical conditioning; Conditioning, Classical - physiology; Cues; Emotions - physiology; Facial Expression; Fear & phobias; Fear - physiology; Female; Humans; Imagery; Imagination - physiology; Male; Mental imagery; Psychological trauma; Reflex, Startle - physiology; Research Article; Stimulation; Stimulus; Unpleasant; Young Adult; open data, open materials; fear conditioning; aversive conditioning; eyeblink reflex; imagery; fear
• ISSN: 0956-7976; 1467-9280; 1467-9280
• DOI: 10.1177/0956797619842261

In classical fear conditioning, neutral conditioned stimuli that have been paired with aversive physical unconditioned stimuli eventually trigger fear responses. Here, we tested whether aversive mental images systematically paired with a conditioned stimulus also cause de novo fear learning in the absence of any external aversive stimulation. In two experiments (N = 45 and N = 41), participants were first trained to produce aversive, neutral, or no imagery in response to three different visual-imagery cues. In a subsequent imagery-based differential-conditioning paradigm, each of the three cues systematically coterminated with one of three different neutral faces. Although the face that was paired with the aversive-imagery cue was never paired with aversive external stimuli or threat-related instructions, participants rated it as more arousing, unpleasant, and threatening and displayed relative fear bradycardia and fear-potentiated startle. These results could be relevant for the development of fear and related disorders without trauma.