Incentive-based extinction of safety behaviors: Positive outcomes competing with aversive events reduce safety behaviors and prevent protection from fear extinction

Mapping Intimacies ◽

10.31234/osf.io/5aqdc ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andre Pittig

Keyword(s):

Warning Signal ◽

Fear Extinction ◽

Control Group ◽

Safety Behaviors ◽

Positive Outcomes ◽

Safety Behavior ◽

Extinction Learning ◽

Physiological Indicators ◽

Opposite Action ◽

Fear And Anxiety

Maladaptive safety behavior maintains fear and anxiety by prohibiting inhibitory learning about the non-occurrence of feared outcomes (known as protection from extinction). Not engaging in safety behavior, however, requires to act opposite to fear-motivated behavioral tendencies. The initiation of such fear-opposite action by positive outcomes, which were in conflict with safety behavior, was tested. Following fear acquisition to a warning signal (CS+), participants acquired safety behavior to prevent the aversive outcome (N=98). Next, safety behavior also prevented gaining rewards. In a control group, neutral outcomes were presented to control for novelty effects of the second outcome. Subsequently, no aversive outcome occurred anymore. Phases with safety behavior were intermitted by phases without safety behavior to examine cognitive and physiological indicators of fear and anxiety. Without competing positive outcomes, safety behavior was frequently executed, persisted in absence of the aversive outcome, and prohibited extinction learning. Positive outcomes clearly reduced safety behavior despite equal levels of acquired fear. This enabled fear extinction as soon as the aversive outcome was absent. Importantly, this extinction learning resulted in attenuated fear and anxiety responses when safety behavior became unavailable. Post-hoc findings indicated that the mere anticipation of positive outcomes slightly reduced safety behavior. Thus, competing positive outcomes triggered fear-opposite action that prevented persistent safety behavior and protection from extinction.

Download Full-text

Do safety behaviors preserve threat expectancy?

Journal of Experimental Psychopathology ◽

10.1177/2043808718804430 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 204380871880443 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sophie L. van Uijen ◽

Edwin S. Dalmaijer ◽

Marcel A. van den Hout ◽

Iris M. Engelhard

Keyword(s):

Fear Conditioning ◽

Empirical Evidence ◽

Detrimental Effect ◽

Fear Extinction ◽

Extinction Procedure ◽

Safety Behaviors ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Safety Behavior ◽

Extinction Learning

Empirical evidence for the detrimental effect of safety behaviors on fear extinction is inconsistent. This fear conditioning study investigated whether the negative effects of safety behavior on extinction learning depend on whether safety behavior precludes the occurrence of threat. In two experiments, participants first underwent fear acquisition. During a subsequent extinction procedure, participants used safety behavior that precluded the occurrence of threat, safety behavior that reduced threat, or no safety behavior. Safety behavior that precluded the occurrence of threat prevented extinction learning in the first and second experiments. Additionally, in the second experiment, safety behavior that reduced threat severity did not prevent extinction for several participants but did prevent it for others. The findings suggest that safety behavior that prevents the possibility of threat prevents extinction, whereas safety behavior that reduces threat does not prevent extinction consistently.

Download Full-text

Incentive-based extinction of safety behaviors: Positive outcomes competing with aversive outcomes trigger fear-opposite action to prevent protection from fear extinction

Behaviour Research and Therapy ◽

10.1016/j.brat.2019.103463 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 121 ◽

pp. 103463 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Andre Pittig

Keyword(s):

Fear Extinction ◽

Safety Behaviors ◽

Positive Outcomes ◽

Opposite Action

Download Full-text

A dimensional measure of safety behavior: A non-dichotomous assessment of costly avoidance in human fear conditioning

Psychological Research ◽

10.1007/s00426-021-01490-w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alex H. K. Wong ◽

Andre Pittig

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Warning Signal ◽

Control Group ◽

Similar Increase ◽

Safety Behavior ◽

Extinction Learning ◽

Reward Group ◽

Dimensional Measure ◽

Dimensional Assessment ◽

Negative Linear Relationship

AbstractSafety behavior prevents the occurrence of threat, thus it is typically considered adaptive. However, safety behavior in anxiety-related disorders is often costly, and persists even the situation does not entail realistic threat. Individuals can engage in safety behavior to varying extents, however, these behaviors are typically measured dichotomously (i.e., to execute or not). To better understand the nuances of safety behavior, this study developed a dimensional measure of safety behavior that had a negative linear relationship with the admission of an aversive outcome. In two experiments, a Reward group receiving fixed or individually calibrated incentives competing with safety behavior showed reduced safety behavior than a Control group receiving no incentives. This allowed extinction learning to a previously learnt warning signal in the Reward group (i.e., updating the belief that this stimulus no longer signals threat). Despite the Reward group exhibited extinction learning, both groups showed a similar increase in fear to the warning signal once safety behavior was no longer available. This null group difference was due to some participants in the Reward group not incentivized enough to disengage from safety behavior. Dimensional assessment revealed a dissociation between low fear but substantial safety behavior to a safety signal in the Control group. This suggests that low-cost safety behavior does not accurately reflect the fear-driven processes, but also other non-fear-driven processes, such as cost (i.e., engage in safety behavior merely because it bears little to no cost). Pinpointing both processes is important for furthering the understanding of safety behavior.

Download Full-text

Effects of Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on Retention of Memory for Fear Extinction Learning in PTSD: R33 Study

Case Medical Research ◽

10.31525/ct1-nct04080427 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Fear Extinction ◽

Extinction Learning

Download Full-text

Effectiveness the use of additive MEGA-VIT in the ration of mares of Shetland pony breed

Kormlenie sel'skohozjajstvennyh zhivotnyh i kormoproizvodstvo (Feeding of agricultural animals and feed production) ◽

10.33920/sel-05-2008-06 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 60-67

Author(s):

G. Uskov ◽

A. Tsopanova ◽

T. Perezhogina

Keyword(s):

Physiological State ◽

Mineral Elements ◽

Positive Influence ◽

Control Group ◽

Physiological Indicators ◽

Mineral Additive ◽

Nutritional Needs ◽

Young Horses ◽

The Cost ◽

Experimental Group

Complete feeding of ponies is provided on the basis of data on their nutritional needs depending on age, sex, physiological state and level of productivity (the amount of milk produced and the intensity of growth of young animals). Ponies are sensitive to a lack of vitamins and mineral elements in the feed. When there is a sufficient amount of organic and mineral substances, but a lack or absence of vitamins, horses and ponies have impaired metabolism. The purpose of this work is to study the effectiveness of the use of vitamin and mineral additive MEGA-VIT in the rations of pregnant and lactating mares of Shetland pony breed. It has been found during of the researches that the vitamin and mineral additive MEGA-VIT had a positive influence on the productive and physiological indicators of animals. The cost of spent feed for the entire period of experiment in the control group was 50,6 thousand rubles, and in the experimental group it was 11,8 thousand rubles more or 23,5 %. Revenue from the sale of young horses of the control group amounted to 400 thousand rubles, and experimental group – 440 thousand rubles, this is by 40 thousand rubles more than in control group. This led to the increase in profit in the experimental group of mares by 28,1 thousand rubles and accordingly the level of profitability by 3,2 %. It has been recommended on the results have been obtained on the base of researches to include 30 g/head/day in the rations of mares of Shetland pony breed during pregnancy, and 50 g/head/day during lactation.

Download Full-text

Impaired Contextual Fear Extinction Learning is Associated with Aberrant Regulation of CHD-Type Chromatin Remodeling Factors

Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00313 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Alexandra Wille ◽

Verena Maurer ◽

Paolo Piatti ◽

Nigel Whittle ◽

Dietmar Rieder ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chromatin Remodeling ◽

Fear Extinction ◽

Extinction Learning ◽

Contextual Fear

Download Full-text

The effects of COVID-19 fear and anxiety on symptom severity, sleep quality, and mood in patients with fibromyalgia: a pilot study

Advances in Rheumatology ◽

10.1186/s42358-021-00200-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Damla Cankurtaran ◽

Nihal Tezel ◽

Buse Ercan ◽

Sadik Yigit Yildiz ◽

Ece Unlu Akyuz

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Psychological Stress ◽

Symptom Severity ◽

Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Fear And Anxiety

Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals faced psychological stress caused by fear and anxiety due to the high transmission and mortality rate of the disease, the social isolation, economic problems, and difficulties in reaching health services. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic centralized pain sensitivity disorder. Psychological, physical and/or autoimmune stressors were found to increase FM symptoms. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the COVID-19 fear and anxiety level, and to examine their effect on disease severity, sleep quality, and mood in FM patients compared to control group. Methods This pilot study conducted as a cross-sectional study, and included 62 participants. Participants were divided into two groups: FM patient group (n = 31) and control group (n = 31). Symptom severity, sleep quality, and mood were determined using the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR), Pitsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), respectively. In order to evaluate the level of COVID-19 fear and anxiety, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) were used compared to control group. Results FIQR, PSQI, HAD-A, HAD-D, FCV-19S and CAS scores were significantly higher in the FM group (p = 0.01). A positive significant correlation was found between FCV-19S and CAS results and FIQR, PSQI, and HAD-anx results in FM patients (p < 0.05). Conclusion This pilot study showed that, the individuals with FM can be more affected by psychological stress, and this situation negatively affects the symptom severity, sleep quality, and mood in FM patients, so these patients should be closely monitored in terms of psychological stressors and their effects during pandemics. More studies with more participants are necessary to describe the challenges lived by fibromyalgia population.

Download Full-text

Response of Interspecific Hybrid Species of Manchurian Ash to MJ and NO Signals and Preliminary Study on the Formation Mechanism of Drought Resistance Advantage

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1147012/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yang Cao ◽

fei song ◽

Xingtang Zhao ◽

Liming He ◽

Yaguang Zhan

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Drought Stress ◽

Drought Resistance ◽

Interspecific Hybrid ◽

Normal Growth ◽

Control Group ◽

Physiological Indicators ◽

Manchurian Ash ◽

In The Wild ◽

Set Up

Abstract Background: In this study, sodium nitrate (SNP, a donor of nitric oxide) and methyl jasmonate (MJ) were used as exogenous hormones. The experiment was conducted with the offspring (interspecific hybrid) D110 of ash and ash, and their respective parents (non-interspecific hybrid) D113 and 4-3 as experimental materials. The experiment set up three experimental groups of drought stress, exogenous hormone SNP and MJ, and a control group under normal growth (non-drought stress), to study the physiological indicators and gene expression of manchurian ash. Result: The results showed that under drought stress and exogenous application of hormone SNP or MJ, there were significant differences between hybrids and parents in plant growth, photosynthesis, defense enzyme activity, hormone content and gene expression.Conclusions: This experiment provides a new theoretical support for the existing hormone breeding methods of manchurian ash, which can improve the drought resistance of manchurian ash and increase its survival rate in the wild. Increasing the growth rate and breeding efficiency of manchurian ash brings new ideas.

Download Full-text