Integrating behavioral and neurophysiological insights: High trait anxiety enhances observational fear learning
Observational fear learning delineates the process by which individuals learn about potential threats through observing others’ reactions. Prior research indicates that individuals with high trait anxiety (HTA) manifest pronounced fear responses in direct fear learning scenarios. However, the specif...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-02-01
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| Series: | NeuroImage |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925000394 |
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| author | Xianchao Ming Ganzhong Luo Jinxia Wang Haoran Dou Hong Li Yi Lei |
| author_facet | Xianchao Ming Ganzhong Luo Jinxia Wang Haoran Dou Hong Li Yi Lei |
| author_sort | Xianchao Ming |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Observational fear learning delineates the process by which individuals learn about potential threats through observing others’ reactions. Prior research indicates that individuals with high trait anxiety (HTA) manifest pronounced fear responses in direct fear learning scenarios. However, the specific influence of trait anxiety on observational fear learning remains insufficiently explored. This study aimed to fill this gap by examining 64 university students, divided equally between those with HTA and low trait anxiety (LTA), selected from an initial pool of 483 participants. Participants were subjected to observational fear learning tasks, and their behavioral responses, physiological reactions, and brain activations were recorded. Results demonstrated that HTA participants exhibited differentiated skin conductance responses to threat and safety stimuli during the observational fear acquisition phase, notwithstanding prior assurances against shock delivery. Furthermore, during the direct test phase, HTA participants reported significantly elevated fear and shock expectancy ratings for both types of stimuli, in contrast to their LTA counterparts. Neuroimaging data, derived via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) revealed heightened medial prefrontal cortex activation in HTA participants when directly facing threats. This study systematically explores the influence of high trait anxiety on observational fear learning, uncovering that HTA individuals exhibit excessive fear responses. These findings highlight the critical role of trait anxiety as a significant risk factor in the development of anxiety disorders. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bc3bbfcb33794af9bfc50d3630fd764f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1095-9572 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeuroImage |
| spelling | doaj-art-bc3bbfcb33794af9bfc50d3630fd764f2025-02-06T05:11:08ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722025-02-01307121037Integrating behavioral and neurophysiological insights: High trait anxiety enhances observational fear learningXianchao Ming0Ganzhong Luo1Jinxia Wang2Haoran Dou3Hong Li4Yi Lei5School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Institute for Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, ChinaInstitute for Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, ChinaInstitute for Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, ChinaInstitute for Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, ChinaSchool of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Institute for Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, ChinaInstitute for Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China; Corresponding author.Observational fear learning delineates the process by which individuals learn about potential threats through observing others’ reactions. Prior research indicates that individuals with high trait anxiety (HTA) manifest pronounced fear responses in direct fear learning scenarios. However, the specific influence of trait anxiety on observational fear learning remains insufficiently explored. This study aimed to fill this gap by examining 64 university students, divided equally between those with HTA and low trait anxiety (LTA), selected from an initial pool of 483 participants. Participants were subjected to observational fear learning tasks, and their behavioral responses, physiological reactions, and brain activations were recorded. Results demonstrated that HTA participants exhibited differentiated skin conductance responses to threat and safety stimuli during the observational fear acquisition phase, notwithstanding prior assurances against shock delivery. Furthermore, during the direct test phase, HTA participants reported significantly elevated fear and shock expectancy ratings for both types of stimuli, in contrast to their LTA counterparts. Neuroimaging data, derived via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) revealed heightened medial prefrontal cortex activation in HTA participants when directly facing threats. This study systematically explores the influence of high trait anxiety on observational fear learning, uncovering that HTA individuals exhibit excessive fear responses. These findings highlight the critical role of trait anxiety as a significant risk factor in the development of anxiety disorders.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925000394Trait anxietyObservational fear learningSCRfNIRSmPFCdlPFC |
| spellingShingle | Xianchao Ming Ganzhong Luo Jinxia Wang Haoran Dou Hong Li Yi Lei Integrating behavioral and neurophysiological insights: High trait anxiety enhances observational fear learning NeuroImage Trait anxiety Observational fear learning SCR fNIRS mPFC dlPFC |
| title | Integrating behavioral and neurophysiological insights: High trait anxiety enhances observational fear learning |
| title_full | Integrating behavioral and neurophysiological insights: High trait anxiety enhances observational fear learning |
| title_fullStr | Integrating behavioral and neurophysiological insights: High trait anxiety enhances observational fear learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integrating behavioral and neurophysiological insights: High trait anxiety enhances observational fear learning |
| title_short | Integrating behavioral and neurophysiological insights: High trait anxiety enhances observational fear learning |
| title_sort | integrating behavioral and neurophysiological insights high trait anxiety enhances observational fear learning |
| topic | Trait anxiety Observational fear learning SCR fNIRS mPFC dlPFC |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925000394 |
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