Abstract
We describe evidence for an evolved module for fear elicitation and fear learning
with four primary characteristics. First, it is preferentially activated by stimuli
related to survival threats in evolutionary history. Thus, fear-relevant stimuli lead
to superior conditioning of aversive associations compared with fear-irrelevant stimuli.
Second, the module is automatically activated by fear-relevant stimuli, meaning that
fear activation occurs before conscious cognitive analysis of the stimulus can occur.
Third, the fear module is relatively impenetrable to conscious cognitive control,
and fear conditioning with fear-relevant stimuli can occur even with subliminal conditioned
stimuli. Fourth, the amygdala seems to be the central brain area dedicated to the
fear module. Finally, we propose that there are two levels of fear conditioning, with
an emotional level that is relatively independent of the cognitive contingency level,
each mediated by different brain areas.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
September 5,
2002
Received in revised form:
August 1,
2002
Received:
April 2,
2002
Identification
Copyright
© 2002 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
