Research in nonhuman animals reveals threat-sensitive generalization of defensive behavior that favors widespread generalization when threat intensity is high and limited generalization (i.e., specificity) when threat intensity is low. Here, we used Pavlovian fear conditioning to systematically investigate whether threat intensity widens behavioral generalization gradients to stimuli that decreasingly resemble a learned threat cue. Using a between-subjects design, volunteers underwent fear conditioning with a tone paired with either a high-intensity or low-intensity aversive stimulus prior to a test of fear generalization to novel tones. Results showed no effect of threat intensity on initial acquisition of conditioned fear. However, volunteers who underwent fear conditioning with a high-intensity aversive stimulus exhibited widespread generalization of autonomic arousal (skin conductance responses) as compared to volunteers who received a low-intensity aversive stimulus. These results show a transition from normal (selective) to overgeneralized fear as threat intensity increases, and have implications for understanding overgeneralization characteristic of trauma- and stress-related disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record

中文翻译：

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威胁强度扩大了恐惧泛化梯度。

对非人类动物的研究揭示了防御行为的威胁敏感概括，当威胁强度高时，有利于广泛的概括；当威胁强度低时，有利于有限的概括（即特异性）。在这里，我们使用巴甫洛夫恐惧条件反射来系统地研究威胁强度是否会扩大行为泛化梯度，以减少与习得的威胁线索的相似度。采用受试者间设计，志愿者在测试恐惧泛化到新的音调之前，先用与高强度或低强度厌恶刺激配对的音调进行恐惧调节。结果显示，威胁强度对条件性恐惧的初始获得没有影响。然而，与接受低强度厌恶刺激的志愿者相比，接受高强度厌恶刺激的恐惧调节的志愿者表现出广泛的自主唤醒（皮肤电导反应）。这些结果表明，随着威胁强度的增加，从正常（选择性）恐惧到过度普遍化的恐惧的转变，并且对于理解创伤和压力相关疾病的过度普遍化特征具有影响。（PsycINFO 数据库记录