Evidence for a non-associative model of the acquisition of a fear of heights

Behaviour Research and Therapy
Richie PoultonP Silva

Abstract

Theories that fear results from previous traumatic experience (i.e. conditioning theories) have enjoyed widespread support for over half a century. Recent research, however, has cast doubt on the validity of these models in some specific phobias. Two studies on the etiology of height phobia have obtained findings consistent with a non-associative, evolutionary explanation of fear acquisition (Menzies and Clarke, 1993a, Behaviour Research and Therapy, 31, 355-365; Menzies and Clarke, 1995a, Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33, 795-805). Unfortunately, the retrospective nature of these studies limits the conclusions that can be drawn from these data. Like all retrospective research, these studies depend on adult subjects imperfect ability to recall conditioning events that may have occurred many years earlier. The present investigation overcomes these methodological shortcomings by examining the relationship between putative conditioning events before the age of 9 yr and the presence of height fear at ages 11 and 18 yr in a large birth cohort studied longitudinally. To our knowledge this is the first study that has prospectively examined the relationship between relevant traumatic events early in life and the onset of height fear ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Feb 26, 2008·European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience·Richie PoultonJane Millichamp
Jan 12, 2001·Behaviour Research and Therapy·R G Menzies, L Parker
Jan 21, 2009·Annual Review of Clinical Psychology·Ronald M RapeeJennifer L Hudson
Sep 23, 2008·European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience·Catarina C BoffinoRenato T Ramos
Jul 21, 2012·Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry·David VealeAna Costa
Oct 12, 2002·Behaviour Research and Therapy·Richie Poulton, Barry J Milne
Jan 5, 2002·Behaviour Research and Therapy·R PoultonR G Menzies
Jan 30, 2002·Behaviour Research and Therapy·Richie Poulton, Ross G Menzies
Jan 30, 2002·Behaviour Research and Therapy·Susan Mineka, Arne Ohman
Jan 30, 2002·Behaviour Research and Therapy·Richie Poulton, Ross G Menzies
Nov 7, 2016·Behavior Therapy·Richard J McNally
Dec 15, 2015·Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine·O V FiliptsovaI A Timoshyna
Dec 3, 2014·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Carlos M Coelho, Carey D Balaban
Sep 30, 2014·European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience·Hans-Peter KapfhammerThomas Brandt
Jul 8, 2016·Journal of Neurology·Hans-Peter KapfhammerThomas Brandt
Oct 6, 2009·Behavioural Brain Research·A EnnaceurP L Chazot
Jan 1, 2011·Evolutionary Psychology : an International Journal of Evolutionary Approaches to Psychology and Behavior·Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter, Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair
Oct 1, 2014·Current Directions in Psychological Science·Karen E AdolphVanessa LoBue
Jun 18, 2020·Frontiers in Psychology·Fatmir MisimiJernej Kapus
Nov 22, 2019·Frontiers in Psychology·André WannemuellerJürgen Margraf
Jan 20, 2021·Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review·Helen F Dodd, Kathryn J Lester
Mar 14, 2009·Journal of Anxiety Disorders·Carlos M CoelhoGuy Wallis

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