title: Slower reacquisition after partial extinction in human contingency learning.
abstract: Extinction is a very relevant learning phenomenon from a theoretical and applied point of view. One of its most relevant features is that relapse phenomena often take place once the extinction training has been completed. Accordingly, as extinction-based therapies constitute the most widespread empirically validated treatment of anxiety disorders, one of their most important limitations is this potential relapse. We provide the first demonstration of relapse reduction in human contingency learning using mild aversive stimuli. This effect was found after partial extinction (i.e., reinforced trials were occasionally experienced during extinction, Experiment 1) and progressive extinction treatments (Experiment 3), and it was not only because of differences in uncertainty levels between the partial and a standard extinction group (Experiment 2). The theoretical explanation of these results, the potential uses of this strategy in applied situations, and its current limitations are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo.
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morís
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psicología Básica, Universitat de Barcelona.
authors.forename: Itxaso
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barberia
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London.
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vadillo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA).
authors.forename: Ainhoa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andrades
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA).
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: López
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D013334:Students; D035501:Uncertainty; D014495:Universities