Abstract
Safety behaviors are responses that can reduce or even prevent an expected threat. Moreover, empirical studies have shown that using safety behaviors to a learnt safety stimulus can induce threat beliefs to it. No research so far has examined whether threat beliefs induced this way generalize to other novel stimuli related to the safety stimulus. Using a fear and avoidance conditioning model, the current study (n=116) examined whether threat beliefs induced by safety behaviors generalize to other novel generalization stimuli (GSs). Participants first acquired safety behaviors to a threat predicting conditioned stimulus (CSthreat). Safety behaviors could then be performed in response to one safe stimulus (CSsafeShift) but not to another (CSsafe). In a following generalization test, participants showed a significant but small increase in threat expectancies to GSs related to CSsafeShift compared to GSs related to CSsafe. Interestingly, the degree of safety behaviors used to the CSsafeShift predicted the subsequent increase in generalized threat expectancies, and this link was elevated in trait anxious individuals. The findings suggest that threat beliefs induced by unnecessary safety behaviors generalize to other related stimuli. This study provides a potential explanation for the root of threat belief acquisition to a wide range of stimuli or situations.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 115078 |
Journal | Behavioural Brain Research |
Volume | 470 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 26 Jul 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2024 The Authors
Funding
IM Engelhard was supported by a Vici grant from NWO (grant no. 453-15-005) .
Funders | Funder number |
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Vici grant from NWO | 453-15-005 |
Keywords
- Anxiety
- Fear and avoidance conditioning
- Fear generalization
- Safety behaviors
- Threat belief