Differential UCS expectancy bias in spider fearful individuals: evidence toward an association between spiders and disgust-relevant outcomes.
Recently, differential UCS expectancies were found for high- and low-predatory fear-relevant animals [Davey, G. C. L., Cavanagh, K., & Lamb, A. (2003). Differential aversive outcome expectancies for high- and low-predation fear-relevant animals. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 34, 117-128]. The present study extends these findings to spider phobia. In a hypothetical experiment, high (n = 27) and low (n = 28) spider fearful individuals estimated the probability that slides of spiders, maggots, pit bull terriers, or rabbits would be followed by a sip of nauseating juice, a shock, or nothing. Maggots were selectively associated with the disgusting juice, pit bull terriers with the harm-related shock, and rabbits with nothing. Spiders were associated with both aversive UCSs, but significantly stronger in the high fear group. Additionally, an expectancy bias toward disgust-relevant consequences was the single best predictor of spider fear. These findings imply that in accordance with the disease-avoidance model, expectations of disgust-relevant consequences are involved in spider phobia.
van Overveld
Mark
M
Department of Medical, Clinical, and Experimental Psychology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. M.vanOverveld@DMKEP.Unimaas.nl
de Jong
Peter J
PJ
Peters
Madelon L
ML
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000818:Animals; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013112:Spiders; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking