Behaviour research and therapy
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The effects of cued UCS rehearsal on responses to a mildly painful CS previously paired with a highly painful UCS were investigated. Following CS pretest and CS-UCS pairings, subjects either mentally rehearsed the UCS (condition 1), received the real UCS (condition 2), mentally rehearsed an unrelated painful experience (condition 3), or waited (condition 4). In a fifth condition, subjects received CS and UCS unpaired before engaging in UCS rehearsal. ⋯ Incubation of electrodermal responses was related to low self-consciousness and the combination of low self-consciousness and high trait anxiety. Trait anxiety and worry proneness per se did not relate to incubation. The findings suggest that worry-like processes can have functional values like reducing pain impact, and cast doubt upon the contention that UCS rehearsal leads to an overall incubation of fear.