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Vulnerability and conditioning in relation to the human menstrual cycle

J Vila, H R Beech

    The British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology
    |February 1, 1977
    PubMed

    An experiment aimed at testing some implications of a model of symptom acquisition is reported. In particular, the effect conditioning and extinction is examined. Sixteen female phobic patients were tested either immediately pre-menstrually or inter-menstrually. Using white noise as the UCS and a blue light as the CS, conditioned GSR responses were readily established in members of the pre-menstrual group, who also showed resistance to extinction. Subjects tested inter-menstrually were less susceptible to these effects. Those subjects taking the contraceptive pill showed increased sensitivity to the acquisition of conditioned responses.

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