Enhancing extinction learning: Occasional presentations of the unconditioned stimulus during extinction eliminate spontaneous recovery, but not necessarily reacquisition of fear
Background: Fears underlying anxiety disorders are commonly treated with exposure-based therapies, which are based on the principles of extinction learning. While these treatments are efficacious, fears may return after successful treatment. Past research suggested that post-extinction recovery of f...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2018
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70047 |
| _version_ | 1848762201095012352 |
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| author | Thompson, A. McEvoy, P. Lipp, Ottmar |
| author_facet | Thompson, A. McEvoy, P. Lipp, Ottmar |
| author_sort | Thompson, A. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background: Fears underlying anxiety disorders are commonly treated with exposure-based therapies, which are based on the principles of extinction learning. While these treatments are efficacious, fears may return after successful treatment. Past research suggested that post-extinction recovery of fear could be reduced through extinction training that involves occasional presentations of the aversive unconditioned stimulus (US), paired with the conditioned stimulus (CS). Here, we examined whether extinction training with occasionally paired or unpaired US presentations is superior in the reduction of fear recovery to non-reinforced extinction. Method: Following differential fear conditioning to neutral cues, participants (N = 72; M age = 21.61 years, SD = 3.95) underwent either non-reinforced, partially reinforced, or unpaired extinction training. Results: Extinction involving paired or unpaired US presentations, but not non-reinforced extinction, eliminated spontaneous recovery of differential skin conductance responses (SCRs). Results further suggested that unpaired, but not paired, US presentations may guard against rapid reacquisition of differential SCRs. No benefits of US presentations during extinction were found on the reinstatement of SCRs or recovery of differential negative CS+ valence. Conclusion: Presenting USs during extinction training was more effective than non-reinforced extinction in the reduction of fear recovery, as indexed by SCRs, with unpaired extinction being more effective than partially reinforced extinction. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:43:48Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-70047 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:43:48Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-700472022-01-12T07:34:28Z Enhancing extinction learning: Occasional presentations of the unconditioned stimulus during extinction eliminate spontaneous recovery, but not necessarily reacquisition of fear Thompson, A. McEvoy, P. Lipp, Ottmar Background: Fears underlying anxiety disorders are commonly treated with exposure-based therapies, which are based on the principles of extinction learning. While these treatments are efficacious, fears may return after successful treatment. Past research suggested that post-extinction recovery of fear could be reduced through extinction training that involves occasional presentations of the aversive unconditioned stimulus (US), paired with the conditioned stimulus (CS). Here, we examined whether extinction training with occasionally paired or unpaired US presentations is superior in the reduction of fear recovery to non-reinforced extinction. Method: Following differential fear conditioning to neutral cues, participants (N = 72; M age = 21.61 years, SD = 3.95) underwent either non-reinforced, partially reinforced, or unpaired extinction training. Results: Extinction involving paired or unpaired US presentations, but not non-reinforced extinction, eliminated spontaneous recovery of differential skin conductance responses (SCRs). Results further suggested that unpaired, but not paired, US presentations may guard against rapid reacquisition of differential SCRs. No benefits of US presentations during extinction were found on the reinstatement of SCRs or recovery of differential negative CS+ valence. Conclusion: Presenting USs during extinction training was more effective than non-reinforced extinction in the reduction of fear recovery, as indexed by SCRs, with unpaired extinction being more effective than partially reinforced extinction. 2018 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70047 10.1016/j.brat.2018.07.001 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Elsevier fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Thompson, A. McEvoy, P. Lipp, Ottmar Enhancing extinction learning: Occasional presentations of the unconditioned stimulus during extinction eliminate spontaneous recovery, but not necessarily reacquisition of fear |
| title | Enhancing extinction learning: Occasional presentations of the unconditioned stimulus during extinction eliminate spontaneous recovery, but not necessarily reacquisition of fear |
| title_full | Enhancing extinction learning: Occasional presentations of the unconditioned stimulus during extinction eliminate spontaneous recovery, but not necessarily reacquisition of fear |
| title_fullStr | Enhancing extinction learning: Occasional presentations of the unconditioned stimulus during extinction eliminate spontaneous recovery, but not necessarily reacquisition of fear |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhancing extinction learning: Occasional presentations of the unconditioned stimulus during extinction eliminate spontaneous recovery, but not necessarily reacquisition of fear |
| title_short | Enhancing extinction learning: Occasional presentations of the unconditioned stimulus during extinction eliminate spontaneous recovery, but not necessarily reacquisition of fear |
| title_sort | enhancing extinction learning: occasional presentations of the unconditioned stimulus during extinction eliminate spontaneous recovery, but not necessarily reacquisition of fear |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70047 |