| Abstract: | Exposed 64 undergraduates to pictures of phobic (snakes) and supposedly neutral (human faces or houses) objects as conditioned stimuli (CSs) in a classical conditioning experiment with shock as the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and skin conductance responses as the dependent variable. One group was shocked on the phobic and another on one of the neutral sets of pictures. During 10 acquisition trials both groups showed equal conditioning on CS and pre-UCS responses. During extinction, however, there were lasting conditioning effects in CS and, to a lesser extent, post-UCS responses to phobic but not to neutral stimuli. Instructions that no more shocks would be given seemed ineffective in modifying CS, but not post-UCS, responses. It is concluded that the present experimental situation may serve as an experimental analog of phobias. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
