The disinhibitory effect of arousal on fear responses: An analogue with implications for the treatment of phobias

Abstract

An animal analogue of the model of phobia formation suggested by Lovibond (1966) generates data which support the thesis that high arousal serves to disinhibit and in some cases to potentiate fear states in subjects. It was predicted that a procedure which increased arousal in an experimental situation, after extinction of passive avoidance responding, would disinhibit the recently inhibited fear in the situation. Thirty‐four of 42 dogs showed increased latencies to eat. Generalizations from animal analogues need to be treated cautiously but there does seem to be reason to take into account the disinhibition hypothesis when planning treatment of phobias.