Fear and Avoidance: A Three-Day Investigation on the Impact of a Fear-Related Verbal-Rehearsal Task on a Behavior–Behavior Relation

Abstract

Recent research suggests that fear and avoidance responding based on derived transformation of functions may be considered functionally independent. The current study examined the impact of a fear-related verbal-rehearsal task on performance on two implicit relational assessment procedures (IRAPs), actual approach behavior towards a live spider (a BAT), and the relationship between the IRAPs and the BAT. The study was conducted over 3 separate days. Day 1 involved exposure to a series of questionnaires, the fear-related verbal-rehearsal task and homework. Day 2 involved a second exposure to the fear-related verbal-rehearsal task and exposure to the IRAPs and BAT. The final day involved a second exposure to the IRAPs and BAT. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (i.e., control, accept, or reduce fear). Broadly similar findings were obtained for performance on the IRAPs as were reported by Leech et al. (2017). No significant differences between the conditions emerged on the self-report measures, IRAPs, or the BAT. However, correlations between performances on the IRAPs and the BAT were concentrated almost exclusively in the control and reduce-fear conditions rather than the accept-fear condition. The replication of results reported here provide further evidence of the functional independence of approach and avoidance responding. Furthermore, the differential pattern of correlations observed provide further evidence that the fear-related verbal-rehearsal task affected a behavior–behavior relation, which may be directly relevant to the concept of defusion in the ACT literature. In addition, the differential arbitrarily applicable relational responding effects (DAARRE) model offers an alternative explanation for the results reported.

Appendices

Appendix

Control Condition Script

Social Phobia Facts and Statistics

Social phobia is defined as the extreme fear of social situations where the individual is afraid of being judged by or embarrassed in front of other people. These are some of the most common phobias, affecting nearly 3% of the world’s population. More social phobia statistics:

• Social phobias are often cultural, but they affect people of all races and social classes.

• Interesting among social phobia facts is that more women than men are affected by them. People often confuse social phobias with shyness, which in general is more prevalent among women.

• Phobia statistics reveal that only 23% of all people with phobias seek treatment for their anxiety.

• Social phobias affect people of all ages, though they usually begin in adolescence. If phobia statistics and facts are to be believed, then nearly 40% of them begin before the age of 10, whereas 95% start before the age of 20.

• The more common social phobias include fear of writing or eating before someone, meeting people of higher authority, using a telephone, or speaking before a large crowd etc.

• Typical symptoms of social anxiety phobias are heart palpitations, dry mouth, hot/cold flashes, and trembling.

• Another interesting fact is that nearly 45% of people with social phobias will develop agoraphobia and the fear of having an anxiety attack in public and embarrassing themselves. This is why many of these phobics try to avoid social situations.

• Many people suffering from these phobias have experienced an impact in their personal and professional lives. Some refuse work promotions and others refuse to give presentations, attend meetings, or other activities that involve social interactions.

Specific Phobia Statistics and Facts

Specific phobias are characterized by an irrational or unwarranted fear of a specific situation, object, or animal. In some cases, these objects of dread can prove to be dangerous. Here are some specific phobia statistics:

• Specific phobias begin during childhood and can persist throughout one’s life.

• Nearly 15–20% of us experience specific phobias at least once in our life. In the United States, nearly 8.7% of people (aged 18 and older) have at least one extreme specific fear and nearly 25 million Americans report having fear of flying.

• Specific phobias, namely zoophobias, can affect people of all ages, backgrounds, or socioeconomic statuses.

• More research is needed to isolate the gene responsible for triggering such phobias. However, phobia statistics collected so far show that individuals with a parent or a close relative suffering from specific phobias are likelier to develop the same phobia.

• The part of the brain called the amygdala is responsible for triggering specific phobias and needs to be further studied to help better understand these disorders.

• The most common specific phobias include fear of animals, fear of the environment (e.g., fear of rain, earthquakes), fear of blood/injury, fear of certain situations (e.g., claustrophobia, fear of traveling on bridges), fear of death, fear of certain body sensations, and fear of incontinence.

For the next task can you write down what you think some of the most common phobias are?