title: Rating data are underrated: validity of US expectancy in human fear conditioning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human fear conditioning is widely regarded as one of the prime paradigms for the study of fear and anxiety disorders. We provide an evaluation of a commonly used subjective measure in the human fear conditioning paradigm, namely the US-expectancy measurement.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assess the validity of US-expectancy with respect to conditions of pathological fear and anxiety using four established criteria for scrutiny of a laboratory test or model (i.e., face validity, diagnostic validity, predictive validity, construct validity).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Arguably, there is sufficient evidence for the face validity, diagnostic validity, predictive validity and construct validity of the US-expectancy measure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Presumed limitations of the US-expectancy measure, including its susceptibility to experimental demand and memory bias, are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The US-expectancy measure is a valuable measurement method that can be effectively used in research that aims to enhance our understanding of fear and anxiety disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, KU Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Boddez
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baeyens
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luyten
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vansteenwegen
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hermans
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beckers
mesh_terms: D059031:Anticipation, Psychological; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D003214:Conditioning, Classical; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D011581:Psychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results