The effect of induced mood on fear reduction.
The effect of mood on fear reduction was investigated in a laboratory study of fearful people. A musical mood-induction technique was utilized to induce either a happy mood or a sad mood in 84 female university students fearful of spiders or snakes. Following the mood induction, subjects' fears were reduced by participant modelling. Measures of subjective fear and self-efficacy were taken before and after mood induction, after modelling, and four weeks later. Compared to the induced sad-mood condition, induced happiness was followed by a decrease in subjective fear and greater self-efficacy. No difference was found in the length of time taken to reduce fear for happy and sad subjects. Fear reduction during a sad mood was associated with greater return of fear than fear reduction during a happy mood.
Samsom
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Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Rachman
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S
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D012649:Self Concept; D012911:Snakes; D013112:Spiders