Investigating Reversal Fear Learning Through Remote Administration

Abstract

Fear conditioning paradigms are a staple in anxiety research because of the relevance it holds for exposure therapy. Traditionally these experiments are done in lab settings using shocks as an aversive stimulus and skin conductance response or heart rate as a measure of fear. Online versions of these tasks have been implemented; however, they only use explicit responses to measure learning. Research using a reversal fear conditioning paradigm showed that explicit measures could slow dynamic fear learning compared to implicit measures. This paper proposes an online reversal fear conditioning paradigm which uses a scream as the aversive stimulus and expectancy ratings and reaction time as measures of fear response. There were two conditions, an expectancy condition which explicitly predicted the screams as well as provided reaction time ratings, and a control contrition that did not make any expectancy ratings. Expectancy ratings were predicted to be higher for the CS+ than CS- and reaction times were predicted to be longer for the CS+ than the CS-. Furthermore, it was predicted that participants in the expectancy condition would show slower dynamic learning compared to those in the control condition. Results showed differential responses to the CS+/- for the expectancy ratings but not for reaction times. Several limitations, including not being able to control the scream volume for each participant, could explain why reaction times were not an effective measure. Future research controlling for these limitations should be done using reaction time to validate its use as a measure of fear response.