How disappointing: Startle modulation reveals conditional stimuli presented after pleasant unconditional stimuli acquire negative valence
Past research on backward conditioning in evaluative and fear conditioning yielded inconsistent results in that self-report measures suggest that the conditional stimulus (CS) acquired the valence of the unconditional stimulus (US) in fear conditioning (assimilation effects), but the opposite valenc...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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2020
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| Online Access: | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/SR120300015 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/79248 |
| _version_ | 1848764021296070656 |
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| author | Green, Luke J.S. Luck, Camilla Lipp, Ottmar |
| author_facet | Green, Luke J.S. Luck, Camilla Lipp, Ottmar |
| author_sort | Green, Luke J.S. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Past research on backward conditioning in evaluative and fear conditioning yielded inconsistent results in that self-report measures suggest that the conditional stimulus (CS) acquired the valence of the unconditional stimulus (US) in fear conditioning (assimilation effects), but the opposite valence in evaluative conditioning (contrast effects). Conversely, implicit measures of CS valence suggest assimilation effects in evaluative backward conditioning, whereas startle modulation indicates contrast effects in backward fear conditioning. The current study investigated whether US intensity could account for the dissociation on implicit measures between fear and evaluative conditioning. Self-report measures of evaluative learning indicated assimilation effects for forward conditioning, whereas backward contrast effects were observed with intense USs only. Blink startle modulation indicated assimilation effects in forward conditioning and contrast effects in backward conditioning, regardless of US intensity. Experiment 2 included a neutral US in order to assess whether the offset of the positive US elicits an opponent emotional response that mirrors relief (disappointment), which is thought to mediate the reduction in startle seen during backward CSs in fear conditioning. This opponent emotional response was evident as startle magnitude during backward CSs increased linearly with increasing US pleasantness. Omission of the forward CSs led to an assimilation effect in self-report measures. The current results extend our understanding of emotional learning to stimuli encountered after salient emotional events. Startle reflects the emotion prevailing after US offset, relief or disappointment, whereas self-report measures seem more attuned to factors such as US predictability and intensity. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:12:44Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-79248 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:12:44Z |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-792482021-03-17T01:25:32Z How disappointing: Startle modulation reveals conditional stimuli presented after pleasant unconditional stimuli acquire negative valence Green, Luke J.S. Luck, Camilla Lipp, Ottmar associative learning backward conditioning evaluative conditioning propositional learning startle modulation Past research on backward conditioning in evaluative and fear conditioning yielded inconsistent results in that self-report measures suggest that the conditional stimulus (CS) acquired the valence of the unconditional stimulus (US) in fear conditioning (assimilation effects), but the opposite valence in evaluative conditioning (contrast effects). Conversely, implicit measures of CS valence suggest assimilation effects in evaluative backward conditioning, whereas startle modulation indicates contrast effects in backward fear conditioning. The current study investigated whether US intensity could account for the dissociation on implicit measures between fear and evaluative conditioning. Self-report measures of evaluative learning indicated assimilation effects for forward conditioning, whereas backward contrast effects were observed with intense USs only. Blink startle modulation indicated assimilation effects in forward conditioning and contrast effects in backward conditioning, regardless of US intensity. Experiment 2 included a neutral US in order to assess whether the offset of the positive US elicits an opponent emotional response that mirrors relief (disappointment), which is thought to mediate the reduction in startle seen during backward CSs in fear conditioning. This opponent emotional response was evident as startle magnitude during backward CSs increased linearly with increasing US pleasantness. Omission of the forward CSs led to an assimilation effect in self-report measures. The current results extend our understanding of emotional learning to stimuli encountered after salient emotional events. Startle reflects the emotion prevailing after US offset, relief or disappointment, whereas self-report measures seem more attuned to factors such as US predictability and intensity. 2020 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/79248 10.1111/psyp.13563 eng http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/SR120300015 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180111869 fulltext |
| spellingShingle | associative learning backward conditioning evaluative conditioning propositional learning startle modulation Green, Luke J.S. Luck, Camilla Lipp, Ottmar How disappointing: Startle modulation reveals conditional stimuli presented after pleasant unconditional stimuli acquire negative valence |
| title | How disappointing: Startle modulation reveals conditional stimuli presented after pleasant unconditional stimuli acquire negative valence |
| title_full | How disappointing: Startle modulation reveals conditional stimuli presented after pleasant unconditional stimuli acquire negative valence |
| title_fullStr | How disappointing: Startle modulation reveals conditional stimuli presented after pleasant unconditional stimuli acquire negative valence |
| title_full_unstemmed | How disappointing: Startle modulation reveals conditional stimuli presented after pleasant unconditional stimuli acquire negative valence |
| title_short | How disappointing: Startle modulation reveals conditional stimuli presented after pleasant unconditional stimuli acquire negative valence |
| title_sort | how disappointing: startle modulation reveals conditional stimuli presented after pleasant unconditional stimuli acquire negative valence |
| topic | associative learning backward conditioning evaluative conditioning propositional learning startle modulation |
| url | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/SR120300015 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/SR120300015 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/79248 |