Research has demonstrated that disgust can be installed through classical conditioning by pairing neutral conditioned stimuli (CSs) with disgusting unconditioned stimuli (USs). Disgust has been argued to play an important role in maintaining fear-related disorders. This maintaining role may be explained by conditioned disgust being less sensitive to extinction (i.e., experiencing the CS in the absence of the US). Promising alternatives to extinction training are procedures that focus on the devaluation of US memory representations. In the current study, we investigated whether such devaluation procedures can be successful to counter conditioned disgust. We conducted two laboratory studies (N = 120 and N = 51) in which disgust was conditioned using audio-visual USs. Memory representations of the USs were devalued by having participants recall these USs while they performed a taxing eye-movement task or executed one of several control tasks. The results showed successful conditioned disgust acquisition. However, no strong evidence was obtained that an US memory devaluation procedure modulates disgust memory and diminishes conditioned disgust as indicated by subjective, behavioral, or psychophysiological measures. We discuss the relevance of our results for methodological improvements regarding US memory devaluation procedures and disgust conditioning.

研究表明，通过将中性条件刺激 (CS) 与令人厌恶的无条件刺激 (US) 配对，可以通过经典条件反射来产生厌恶感。厌恶被认为在维持与恐惧相关的疾病中起着重要作用。这种维持作用可以解释为条件性厌恶对灭绝不那么敏感（即在没有美国的情况下经历 CS）。灭绝训练的有希望的替代方案是专注于美国记忆表征贬值的程序。在当前的研究中，我们调查了这种贬值程序是否可以成功地对抗条件厌恶。我们进行了两项实验室研究（N = 120 和N= 51)，其中使用视听 USs 来调节厌恶感。通过让参与者在执行繁重的眼动任务或执行多项控制任务之一时回忆这些 USs，USs 的记忆表征会被贬低。结果显示成功获得条件性厌恶。然而，没有强有力的证据表明美国记忆贬值程序可以调节厌恶记忆并减少主观、行为或心理生理测量所表明的条件厌恶。我们讨论了我们的结果与有关美国记忆贬值程序和厌恶条件的方法学改进的相关性。