title: Observational conditioning of fear to fear-relevant versus fear-irrelevant stimuli in rhesus monkeys.
abstract: Two experiments examined whether superior observational conditioning of fear occurs in observer rhesus monkeys that watch model monkeys exhibit an intense fear of fear-relevant, as compared with fear-irrelevant, stimuli. In both experiments, videotapes of model monkeys behaving fearfully were spliced so that it appeared that the models were reacting fearfully either to fear-relevant stimuli (toy snakes or a toy crocodile), or to fear-irrelevant stimuli (flowers or a toy rabbit). Observer groups watched one of four kinds of videotapes for 12 sessions. Results indicated that observers acquired a fear of fear-relevant stimuli (toy snakes and toy crocodile), but not of fear-irrelevant stimuli (flowers and toy rabbit). Implications of the present results for the preparedness theory of phobias are discussed.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mineka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000235:genetics; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012641:Selection, Genetic