A derived relations analysis of the aetiology, maintenance and treatment of fear and anxiety in human participants
Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Abstract: In the present thesis a literature review revealed that further investigation is \nrequired into cases where clinical fears and anxiety exist but cannot be traced to a \nspecific conditioning event in a person’s life. The processes of stimulus equivalence, \nderived relational responding and the derived transfer of functions effect in particular, \nwere identified as having significant potential for the explanation of such \n“unconditioned” clinical anxiety. Whilst early studies dealt with anxiety as mere \navoidance, this idea was eventually challenged. It was since proposed that avoidance \nonly becomes problematic when it eliminates contact with appetitive events and/or \nputs the individual in contact with aversive events. In other words, avoidance is \nproblematic when conflicting contingencies supporting one or both of these \nconsequences are present. The current research aimed to generate a procedure to \ninvestigate precisely this conflicting contingency phenomenon, i.e., approachavoidance \nconflicts in the laboratory through eight computer-based experiments. The \nprocedures presented in Chapter 2 (Experiments 1, 2 and 3) outlined three \nexperiments that attempted to generate conflicting approach contingencies through \nderived relations, produced response variability across participants and reaction time \ndelays within participants and provided a means with which to analyse more \necologically valid approach-avoidance conflicts. Chapter 3 outlined two experiments \n(Experiments 4 and 5) which attempted to generate response disruption similar to that \nreported in Chapter 2, using competing approach and avoidance contingencies in \nplace of competing approach contingencies. Response variability across, but not \ntypically within, participants was observed during both experiments and delayed \nreaction times were observed during Experiment 5. The two experiments outlined in \nChapter 4 (Experiments 6 and 7) produced approach-avoidance conflicts using mild \nelectric shocks and small amounts of money during which conflicts were generated \nwith greater appetitive and aversive salience than those presented during previous \nexperiments. As reported during previous chapters, response variability was observed \nacross participants but not typically within and reaction time delays were produced \nduring conflict trials. Self-report anxiety ratings revealed greater anxiety during \nconflict than non-conflict trials during Experiment 6 but not 7. The experiment \npresented during Chapter 5 (Experiment 8) aimed to address the issue of response \nconsistency observed within-participants during previous experiments by varying the \namount of money on offer during approach-avoidance conflicts on a trial-by-trial \nbasis. Again, response variability across, but not within participants, was observed. \nSkin resistance responses did not reveal higher rates of arousal during conflict trials \nthan non-conflict trials and the findings are covered in detail. Finally, Chapter 6 \nprovides a summary of the entire research programme presented in this thesis, and \nreviews the development of a procedure to generate laboratory-based approachavoidance \nconflicts by derived stimulus relations. The relationship of the current \nresearch to the relevant literature, future research suggestions and clinical \nimplications are discussed.
Author: Steven Gannon
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2210683069