状态焦虑对条件性恐惧泛化的影响

恐惧的过度泛化是焦虑障碍患者重要的潜在病因,探索焦虑对恐惧泛化的影响具有重要意义。本研究在恐惧习得后,通过恐惧创伤电影范式诱发状态焦虑组被试的焦虑水平,采用主观预期值和皮电反应值作为指标,考察状态焦虑对条件性恐惧泛化的影响。结果表明,恐惧创伤电影范式显著提高了状态焦虑组被试的焦虑水平。在泛化阶段,状态焦虑组被试表现出更强的恐惧泛化,对与条件刺激相似的泛化刺激表现出更强烈的恐惧以及更高的预期。状态焦虑使得被试恐惧泛化的消退更慢,持续时间更长。研究同时发现,在状态焦虑下,被试对条件刺激的辨识出现增强趋势。研究结果提示在对经历负性事件个体进行临床干预时,可通过降低其焦虑水平来减少过度泛化。     

条件性恐惧泛化的性别差异

恐惧的过度泛化是焦虑障碍的核心症状之一, 表现为患者对与原危险刺激极不相似的中性刺激也有着较高强度的恐惧反应。临床上, 女性比男性更有可能患焦虑障碍, 因而对恐惧泛化进行性别差异研究可以为解释女性有着更高焦虑障碍发病率提供新的角度, 同时为临床治疗提供参考。本研究采用辨别性条件恐惧范式, 以主观预期值和皮电反应值作为测量指标, 从行为和生理两个层面对条件性恐惧泛化程度和恐惧泛化消退的性别差异进行研究。结果发现, 在恐惧泛化程度上, 未出现显著性别差异。在恐惧泛化消退上, 在主观预期值和皮电反应值两个层面均有着显著性别差异, 具体表现为相较于男性, 女性恐惧泛化的消退更慢, 持续时间更长。研究结果表明, 女性焦虑障碍高发病率的潜在影响因素之一可能在于女性对于恐惧泛化刺激的难以消除。     

基于知觉的恐惧泛化的认知神经机制

恐惧泛化是条件性恐惧反应转移到另一个相似但安全的刺激的现象。适当的恐惧泛化对人类有积极意义, 而过度的恐惧泛化则不利于个体有效地适应环境。基于知觉的恐惧泛化研究揭示了恐惧泛化的规律, 因而被广泛应用。本文首先梳理了对知觉恐惧泛化的相关研究, 介绍恐惧泛化的经典理论基础—巴普洛夫条件反射以及恐惧泛化梯度; 其次简要回顾基于多个感觉通道(即视觉、听觉、情景)的知觉恐惧泛化研究现状; 再次, 分别对海马、杏仁核、脑岛和前额叶等脑区在恐惧泛化中的作用进行回顾, 进一步总结出恐惧泛化的神经环路结构模型。最后, 简要区分了基于知觉的恐惧泛化和正在兴起的基于概念的恐惧泛化, 进而指出未来研究需要结合基于概念的恐惧泛化、区分被试对刺激的辨别力、增加恐惧刺激材料的准确性及多样化、结合激素等个体差异和多模态脑成像数据来展开。     

女性生理周期对条件性恐惧习得和消退的影响

动物研究显示, 雌激素调节条件性恐惧习得和消退, 但是, 人类的性激素对条件性恐惧习得和消退的影响还不太清楚。因此, 本研究以大学生为研究对象, 考察女性不同生理周期对条件性情境恐惧的习得和消退的影响。20名经前期和20名经期女被试暴露于3种情境下：无厌恶刺激情境(N)、可预测情境(P)和不可预测情境(U), 预测此3种情境下是否出现厌恶刺激。以在线索条件下和无线索条件下对厌恶刺激的主观预期值为因变量。研究结果显示:在习得阶段, 经期女性在P情境下的条件性线索恐惧的主观预期值高于经前期女性; 经前期女性在3种情境下的条件性情境恐惧的主观预期值都高于经期女性, 但只在N情境和P情境, 与经期女性相比, 经前期女性对厌恶刺激的主观预期值存在显著差异。在消退阶段, 与经期女性相比, 经前期女性在3种情境下的条件性情境恐惧的主观预期值更高, 且经前期女性对厌恶刺激的主观预期值在N情境和P情境显著高于经期女性。该结果显示, 经前期女性对条件性情境恐惧易习得难消退, 表明此生理阶段的性激素影响大脑的情绪调节功能, 从而影响条件性情境恐惧。     

非条件刺激降低再评估对条件性恐惧消退的影响

诸多情绪障碍治疗的关键在于促进条件性恐惧反应的消退, 研究证明非条件刺激再评估能够引起恐惧反应的变化。本研究将非条件刺激降低再评估范式应用于消退训练, 以主观预期值、皮电反应作为恐惧反应指标, 考察恐惧习得后非条件刺激强度降低对条件性恐惧消退的影响, 并运用评价性条件作用探讨非条件刺激再评估的作用机制。结果表明：在消退阶段, 降低组对条件刺激的皮电反应显著低于控制组。同时评价性条件作用结果显示：经过非条件刺激再评估, 降低组较控制组对条件刺激的评价更为正性。说明非条件刺激降低再评估有效改变条件刺激的负性效价, 降低个体的恐惧反应、促进恐惧消退。     

状态焦虑对条件恐惧习得和消退的影响

采用44名正常女性大学生作为被试, 通过心理社会压力暴露的方法诱发焦虑组被试的状态焦虑, 采用主观预期值作为指标, 考察焦虑对条件恐惧习得和消退的直接影响, 并探讨这种影响是否也表现在评价性条件作用上。结果表明：心理社会压力暴露显著提高了焦虑组被试的状态焦虑。在习得阶段, 状态焦虑降低了被试对条件刺激的辨别条件恐惧反应, 具体而言, 状态焦虑降低了被试对CS+的主观预期值, 但是却提高了对CS?的主观预期值; 在消退阶段, 状态焦虑抑制了被试对条件刺激的消退。状态焦虑的影响也表现在评价性条件作用上, 和控制组相比, 焦虑组在习惯化和消退阶段对条件刺激表现出了更为负性的效价评定。     

他人在场抑制条件性恐惧泛化

本研究采用经典的知觉辨别恐惧条件反射范式,将主观电击预期和皮肤电反应作为主要指标,考察他人在场对恐惧习得过程和恐惧泛化程度的影响。结果发现,恐惧习得过程未出现显著的组间差异。在恐惧泛化上,他人在场抑制了恐惧泛化水平,表现为皮肤电泛化水平更低、泛化梯度更广。研究初步证明,他人在场可能会分散个体的注意资源,降低个体的知觉辨别能力,进而抑制恐惧泛化。因此,他人在场在临床上对情绪障碍,特别是恐惧和焦虑相关障碍群体的干预作用值得重视。     

积极情绪特质女性的正性关注倾向

研究采用情绪性Stroop范式考察女性积极情绪特质被试对积极情绪刺激的关注倾向。采用中文情绪词作为刺激材料,27名积极情绪特质的女性大学生为被试,进行情绪Stroop实验。结果发现:女性积极情绪特质的被试对正性词颜色命名的反应时显著长于中性词和负性词,对负性词颜色命名的反应时显著长于中性词。说明女性积极情绪特质被试存在正性关注倾向。     

认知重评对负性效价的抑制促进条件性恐惧消退

认知重评能有效降低个体对情感刺激的负性情绪体验, 但指导性认知重评在恐惧记忆治疗中效果存在争议。本文将认知重评范式与辨别式条件恐惧反应范式结合, 以效价和US预期值为指标, 探讨指导性认知重评训练对恐惧情绪习得和消退的影响效果。以低认知重评能力个体为被试, 在实验前24 h进行指导性认知重评训练。条件性恐惧任务为期2天, 第一天完成条件性恐惧的习得和消退任务, 第二天完成条件性恐惧的再消退任务。结果显示, 经过重评训练后个体在条件性恐惧任务中的恐惧情绪效价显著较低, 说明认知重评有效降低低认知重评能力个体在急性应激状态下的负性情绪体验。所有被试均成功完成辨别式条件性恐惧的习得和消退任务, 因此重评训练并不削弱个体对危险或者安全信息的辨别能力。但在条件性恐惧的消退过程中, 认知重评指导训练加快了恐惧消退, 且24 h后测得的条件性恐惧程度显著较低, 说明指导性重评提高了条件性恐惧记忆的消退效率, 并减弱了条件性恐惧的消退返回。     

积极情绪促进对积极刺激注意偏向：投入与抽离

一系列研究结果被认为反映了积极情绪促进投入注意至积极刺激的偏向。然而,由于所使用的范式不能分离对积极刺激的注意投入偏向和抽离偏向,这些研究结果也可能反映了积极情绪促进从积极刺激抽离注意更少的偏向。本研究采用音乐聆听和事件回忆唤起被试的积极或中性情绪,随后要求被试完成点探测范式的变式任务,通过中性-中性条件与一致条件的反应时之差测量投入偏向,以及不一致条件与中性-中性条件的反应时之差测量抽离偏向,探讨积极情绪究竟促进投入偏向,还是促进抽离偏向。结果表明：（1）相比中性组,积极情绪组并没有表现出更大的中性-中性条件和一致条件的反应时之差。这说明,积极情绪没有促进投入注意至积极刺激的偏向;（2）相比中性情绪组,积极情绪组的不一致条件与中性-中性条件的反应时之差更大。这说明,积极情绪促进从积极刺激抽离注意更少的偏向。由此,积极情绪并不促进投入注意至积极刺激的偏向,而是促进对积极刺激的抽离偏向。     

对条件化恐惧反应的抑制效应:指导性与习惯性情绪调节的作用

为了考察实验室指导性与个体习惯性情绪调控策略对恐惧反应的影响,先使用问卷调查了81名大学生的习惯性重评与抑制水平,随后将被试分为两组,指导其在条件化恐惧习得过程中进行主动的情绪调节或自然观看,24h后进行恐惧的表达测试。结果发现,习惯性抑制水平与恐惧习得及表达水平呈显著负相关,且指导性情绪调节与习惯性抑制均显著降低了恐惧习得及表达水平。这提示指导性与习惯性情绪调节策略均能够削弱应激的伤害以保护个体。     

The Effect of Counterconditioning on Evaluative Responses and Harm Expectancy in a Fear Conditioning Paradigm

In fear conditioning, extinction targets harm expectancy as well as the fear response, but it often fails to eradicate the negative affective value that is associated with the conditioned stimulus. In the present study, we examined whether counterconditioning can serve to reduce evaluative responses within fear conditioning. The sample consisted of 70 nonselected students, 12 of whom were men. All participants received acquisition with human face stimuli as the conditioned stimuli and an unpleasant white noise as the unconditioned stimulus. After acquisition, one third of the sample was allocated to an extinction procedure. The other participants received counterconditioning with either a neutral stimulus (neutral tone) or a positive stimulus (baby laugh). Results showed that counterconditioning (with both neutral and positive stimuli), in contrast to extinction, successfully reduced evaluative responses. This effect was found on an indirect measure (affective priming task), but not on self-report. Counterconditioning with a positive stimulus also tended to enhance the reduction of conditioned skin conductance reactivity. The present data suggest that counterconditioning procedures might be a promising approach in diminishing evaluative learning and even expectancy learning in the context of fear conditioning.     

Electrometric Studies of Sleep

The authors provided a differential test between stimulus-stimulus (S-S) and stimulus-response (S-R) theory predictions in regard to the roles that the constructs of expectancy and of fear play in maintaining classically conditioned fear responding within the context of a human conditioned-avoidance paradigm. After the participants had developed sustained avoidance responding, their shock electrodes and avoidance response apparatus were removed to enhance the cognitive expectancy that the conditioned stimulus (CS) would not be followed by the unconditioned stimulus (UCS). This manipulation of expectancy was successful in 96% of the participants. The study was conducted over a 2-day period and involved 1 experimental group and 3 control groups. During the test trials, the authors used autonomic and self-report indices of fear to assess the presence or absence of fear to the CS. The data disconfirmed the prediction of the S-S theory that fear to the CS would be extinguished. The authors discuss the implications of this finding for S-S theories and for approaches in cognitive behavior therapy.     

Predicting Individuals’ Experienced Fear From Multimodal Physiological Responses to a Fear-Inducing Stimulus

Emotions are experienced differently by individuals, and thus, it is important to account for individuals’ experienced emotions to understand their physiological responses to emotional stimuli. The present study investigated the physiological responses to a fear-inducing stimulus and examined whether these responses can predict experienced fear. A total of 230 participants were presented with neutral and fear-inducing film clips, after which they self-rated their experienced emotions. Physiological measures (skin conductance level and response: SCL, SCR, heart rate: HR, pulse transit time: PTT, fingertip temperature: FT, and respiratory rate: RR) were recorded during the stimuli presentation. We examined the correlations between the physiological measures and the participants’ experienced emotional intensity, and performed a multiple linear regression to predict fear intensity based on the physiological responses. Of the participants, 92.5% experienced the fear emotion, and the average intensity was 5.95 on a 7-point Likert scale. Compared to the neutral condition, the SCL, SCR, HR, and RR increased significantly during the fear-inducing stimulus presentation whereas FT and PTT decreased significantly. Fear intensity correlated positively with SCR and HR and negatively with SCL, FT, PTT, and RR. The multiple linear regression demonstrated that fear intensity was predicted by a combination of SCL, SCR, HR, FT, and RR. Our findings indicate that the physiological responses to experiencing fear are associated with cholinergic, sympathetic, and α-adrenergic vascular activation as well as myocardial β-sympathetic excitation, and support the use of multimodal physiological signals for quantifying emotions.     

社交焦虑大学生情绪调节灵活性：情绪内容对策略选择和使用的影响

尽管社交焦虑个体被认为存在情绪调节灵活性的不足,但至今尚不清楚这种不足究竟在于难以灵活选择策略,还是难以灵活使用策略,抑或二者兼有？对此,本研究采用情绪调节策略选择任务考察了37名高社交焦虑大学生和29名低社交焦虑大学生在面对社交-非社交情绪图片时对认知重评-回避策略的选择模式和使用效果。结果发现：在面对社交情绪图片时,高社交焦虑被试比低社交焦虑被试更少选择认知重评,而更多选择回避;在面对非社交情绪图片时,两组被试对两种策略的选择模式无显著差异。同时,无论面对社交还是非社交情绪图片,两组被试对两种策略的使用效果也无显著差异。以上结果表明,相比低社交焦虑个体,高社交焦虑个体只有在面对社交情绪刺激时才存在情绪调节灵活性的不足,且这种不足主要在于难以灵活选择策略,而非难以灵活使用策略。     

The structure of negative emotions in adolescents

This study examined the structure of negative emotions in a sample of nonclinical adolescents, using an approach that exclusively relied on child self-report. A large sample of adolescents (N = 968) completed self-report questionnaires measuring symptoms of fear, anxiety, and depression. Confirmatory factor analysis provided support for the notion that fear, anxiety, and depression are distinct yet correlated components of negative emotions. This result is in agreement with recent empirical findings and current theoretical notions on the structure of negative emotions in children and should be taken as an encouragement for researchers to develop more specific measures for assessing fear, anxiety, and depression in children.