139846 - Inconsistent analytic strategies reduce robustness in fear extinction via skin conductance response.pdf (409.49 kB)
Inconsistent analytic strategies reduce robustness in fear extinction via skin conductance response
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 16:00 authored by Ney, LJ, Laing, PAF, Steward, T, Zuj, DV, Dymond, S, Felmingham, KLRobustness of fear conditioning and extinction paradigms has become increasingly important for many researchers interested in improving the study of anxiety and trauma disorders. We recently illustrated the wide variability in data analysis techniques in this paradigm, which we argued may result in lack of robustness. In the current study, we resampled data from six of our own fear acquisition and extinction datasets, with skin conductance as the outcome. In the resampled and original datasets, we found that effect sizes that were calculated using discrepant statistical strategies, sourced from a non-exhaustive search of high-impact articles, were often poorly correlated. The main contributors to poor correlations were selection of trials from different stages of each experimental phase and use of averaged compared to trial-by-trial analysis. These findings reinforce the importance of focusing on robustness in psychophysiological measurement of fear acquisition and extinction in the laboratory and may guide prospective researchers in which decisions may most impact the robustness of their results.
History
Publication title
PsychophysiologyVolume
57Issue
11Article number
e13650Number
e13650ISSN
0048-5772Department/School
School of Psychological SciencesPublisher
Blackwell Publishing LtdPlace of publication
9600 Garsington Rd, Oxford, England, Oxon, Ox4 2DgRights statement
Copyright 2020 Society for Psychophysiological ResearchRepository Status
- Restricted