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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

Fear Incubation Using an Extended Fear-Conditioning Protocol for Rats

Fear Incubation Using an Extended Fear-Conditioning Protocol for Rats

Published on: August 22, 2020

Monetary effects on fear conditioning.

Chen Qu¹, Aiyi Zhang, Qishan Chen

¹Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, PR China. chenqu@scnu.edu.cn

Psychological Reports

|July 10, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Monetary gain as a positive reinforcer may hinder fear conditioning learning. Participants subjectively overestimated money's fear-reducing effects compared to physiological responses.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Neuroscience
Behavioral Economics

Background:

Previous studies established money loss as an effective negative secondary reinforcer in fear conditioning.
Understanding monetary gain's role as a positive secondary reinforcer is crucial for a comprehensive view of reward in learning.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of monetary gain as a positive secondary reinforcer on fear conditioning.
To compare subjective self-ratings with physiological responses (skin conductance responses) to assess the utility of money.

Main Methods:

Participants were allocated to high-reward or low-reward groups.
Fear conditioning was induced using visual cues paired with non-compensated shock, compensated shock, or no shock.
Skin conductance responses (SCRs) and subjective self-ratings of fear were recorded.

Main Results:

Both SCRs and self-ratings were significantly lower in the compensated shock condition compared to the non-compensated shock condition.
This suggests that monetary compensation may interfere with or block the fear learning process.
A greater reduction in self-rated fear versus SCRs indicated a potential subjective overestimation of money's utility.

Conclusions:

Monetary gain, as a positive secondary reinforcer, appears to inhibit the acquisition of fear responses during conditioning.
Individuals may subjectively inflate the perceived benefit of monetary rewards in mitigating fear.
The study highlights discrepancies between subjective and physiological measures of reward and fear, emphasizing the complex role of money in learning.