Cognitive function and neural basis involved in individual differences in the acquisition, extinction and relapse of fear conditioning

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H05957
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Clinical psychology
• Research Institution: Senshu University
• Principal Investigator: Kunisato Yoshihiko 専修大学, 人間科学部, 准教授 (30613856)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 臨床心理学 / 恐怖条件づけ / 恐怖の再発 / メタ認知 / 不安症 / 恐怖症 / 潜在因果モデル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive function, neural basis and computational model involved in individual differences in the acquisition, extinction, and relapse of fear conditioning. We conducted laboratory behavioral experiments, EEG experiments, WEB experiments, and cognitive modeling. We developed metacognitive tasks and a metacognitive model. Our results showed that metacognition associates with the acquisition and extinction process of fear conditioning but does not associate with trait anxiety. And, a latent causal model revealed that the less number of latent causes in acquisition and extinction leads to the higher the anxiety.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

恐怖条件づけの研究によって，不安症の発症/維持メカニズムについて研究が進み，それに基づく心理的介入が展開されてきているが，人を対象とした恐怖の再発に関する研究はまだ多くなく，さらに学習過程の個人差に関する研究は少ない。本研究を通して，個人差の検討に有用なメタ認知課題とモデル，恐怖条件づけ研究の問題点，再発現象に有用な数理モデルとそのパッケージが提案された。これらのツールを活用し，再発現象の個人差を検討する研究が活性化することが期待でき，ひいては，不安症で悩む方の理解と心理的介入が促進されることが期待できる。