Cognitive processes during fear acquisition and extinction in animals and humans: implications for exposure therapy of anxiety disorders.
Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent. Fear conditioning and extinction learning in animals often serve as simple models of fear acquisition and exposure therapy of anxiety disorders in humans. This article reviews the empirical and theoretical literature on cognitive processes in fear acquisition, extinction, and exposure therapy. It is concluded that exposure therapy is a form of cognitive intervention that specifically changes the expectancy of harm. Implications for therapy research are discussed.
Hofmann
Stefan G
SG
Department of Psychology, Boston University, 648 Beacon Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02215-2002, United States. shofmann@bu.edu
D000679:Amygdala / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology; D003469:Culture; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology