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Updated: Dec 29, 2025

Investigating Pain-Related Avoidance Behavior using a Robotic Arm-Reaching Paradigm
Published on: October 3, 2020
Related to Anxiety: Arbitrarily Applicable Relational Responding and Experimental Psychopathology Research on Fear
Simon Dymond1,2, Marc Bennett3, Sean Boyle4
11Experimental Psychopathology Lab, Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Singleton Campus, Swansea, SA2 8PP UK.
Abstract:
Humans have an unparalleled ability to engage in arbitrarily applicable relational responding (AARR). One of the consequences of this ability to spontaneously combine and relate events from the past, present, and future may, in fact, be a propensity to suffer. For instance, maladaptive fear and avoidance of remote or derived threats may actually perpetuate anxiety. In this narrative review, we consider contemporary AARR research on fear and avoidance as it relates to anxiety. We first describe laboratory-based research on the emergent spread of fear- and avoidance-eliciting functions in humans. Next, we consider the validity of AARR research on fear and avoidance and address the therapeutic implications of the work. Finally, we outline challenges and opportunities for a greater synthesis between behavior analysis research on AARR and experimental psychopathology.
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