Covariation bias in flight phobics

Covariation estimates (CEs) between fear-relevant (FR) stimuli (slides of a irplane crash sites) or fear-irrelevant (FI) stimuli (slides of ah-planes i n flight or mushrooms) and an aversive outcome (electrical shack) were exam ined in 15 flight phobics (high-fear participants) and 15 non-flight-phobic individuals (low-fear participants) by means of an illusory correlation ex periment. In spite of a random relationship between all slide categories an d outcome (illusory correlation), flight phobics exhibited a covariation bi as and showed higher CEs for the contingency between FR slides and shocks t han for the contingency between FI slides and shocks in a first experimenta l block. The CEs of flight phobics for FR slides and shocks was significant ly higher than that of non-flight-phobic individuals, while high- and low-f ear participants did not differ in their CEs for the other slide-shock comb inations. However, even high-fear individuals were able to correct their-in itial covariation bias in subsequent illusory correlation blacks, presumabl y based on disconfirming situational information. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.