The origins of height fear: an evaluation of neoconditioning explanations

The present research sought to establish a reliable and valid instrument fo r assessing the relevance of neoconditioning factors (e.g. latent inhibitio n, UCS inflation/revaluation, prior fear levels, prior expectancies of harm , fear and pain levels experienced during supposed learning events), in the development of human fear. Fifty-four undergraduate height-fearful student s completed the new origins instrument (OQ-II), while 54 matched controls c ompleted a modified version (OQM-II) that examined their prior experiences with heights. In general, few differences between groups were found, Height -fearful and control subjects did not differ on trait anxiety, the frequenc y of negative encounters with heights, the age at which these events had oc curred, prior fear levels, prior expectancies of harm, or reports of UCS in flation/revaluation procedures. However, in a finding directly opposite to that expected from a conditioning account, the mean fear and pain scores re ported by subjects who had experienced direct conditioning events were sign ificantly higher in the non-fearful group than in the height-fearful group. These findings are discussed in terms of associative and non-associative m odels of fear. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.