RT Conference Proceedings
T1 Slowed reacquisition of a previously extinguished response: the effect of partial extinction in human contingency learning
A1 López-Gutiérrez, Francisco José
A1 Barberia, Itxaso
A1 Vadillo, Miguel Ángel
A1 Andrades, Ainhoa
K1 Angustia
K1 Psicoterapia
AB Extinction is a very relevant learning phenomenon from an applied and theoretical point of view. Extinction-based therapies constitute the most widespread empirically validated treatment of anxiety disorders. However, they face an important limitation, as relapse often takes place once the extinction procedure has been completed. We provide the first demonstration of relapse reduction, a slowed reacquisition, in human contingency learning after a partial extinction procedure using mild aversive stimuli. This effect was specific of the partial extinction treatment (i.e., reinforced trials were occasionally experienced during extinction; Experiment 1) and not only due to differences in uncertainty levels between the partial and a standard extinction group (Experiment 2). Experiment 3 explored conditions in which partial extinction was complete, while the slowed reacquisition effect was still obtained. Potential uses of this strategy in anxiety disorders therapies, its theoretical explanation and its current limitations are discussed.
YR 2015
FD 2015-09-15
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10630/10257
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10630/10257
LA eng
NO Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech.
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 20 ene 2026