title: Cognitive Factors Affecting Freeze-like Behavior in Humans.
abstract: Contemporary research on survival-related defensive behaviors has identified physiological markers of freeze/flight/fight. Our research focused on cognitive factors associated with freeze-like behavior in humans. Study 1 tested if an explicit decision to freeze is associated with the psychophysiological state of freezing. Heart rate deceleration occurred when participants chose to freeze. Study 2 varied the efficacy of freezing relative to other defense options and found "freeze" was responsive to variations in the perceived effectiveness of alternative actions. Study 3 tested if individual differences in motivational orientation affect preference for a "freeze" option when the efficacy of options is held constant. A trend in the predicted direction suggested that naturally occurring cognitions led loss-avoiders to select "freeze" more often than reward-seekers. In combination, our attention to the cognitive factors affecting freeze-like behavior in humans represents a preliminary step in addressing an important but neglected research area.
authors.affiliation: a Northern Arizona University.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Alban
authors.affiliation: b University of North Dakota.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pocknell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D046352:Freezing Reaction, Cataleptic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Freeze; cognition; mental sets; survival mechanisms; threat