Emotion and psychopathology researchers have described the fear response as consisting of four main components -subjective affect, physiology, cognition, and behavior. The current study provides evidence for an additional component in the domain of height fear -perception -and shows that it is distinct from measures of cognitive processing. Individuals High (N = 35) and Low (N = 36) in acrophobic symptoms looked over a two-story balcony ledge and estimated its vertical extent using a direct height estimation task (visual matching), and an indirect task (size estimation); the latter task seems to exhibit little influence from cognitive factors. In addition, implicit and explicit measures of cognitive processing were obtained. Results indicated that, as expected, the High Fear group showed greater relative, implicit height fear associations and explicit threat cognitions. Of primary interest, the High (compared to Low) Fear group estimated the vertical extent to be higher, and judged target sizes to be greater, even when controlling for the cognitive bias measures. These results suggest that emotional factors such as fear are related to perception. Keywords visual perception; implicit associations; height fear; acrophobiaIndividuals typically think about emotion in terms of the subjective affect they experience. Yet, emotion researchers have long recognized that there are other modes for expressing emotion. For example, Lang's (1979) seminal bio-informational theory proposed three components to the fear response -physiology, cognition, and behavior. More recently, Barlow (2002) and others (Davis & Ollendick, 2005) have noted the importance of the affective state in feeling fearful as well. While these four modalities encompass a large part

These findings suggest that baclofen is reasonably tolerated in an alcohol-dependent population, although the high dropout rate in the study is of concern. Baclofen may be effective for the reduction of drinking, anxiety, and craving for some alcohol-dependent individuals. A larger-scale placebo-controlled study is needed to further explore these effects and to determine the characteristics of those who respond to this medication.

The current study tested whether height overestimation is related to height fear and influenced by images of falling. To assess perceptual biases, participants high (n = 65) versus low (n = 64) in height fear estimated the vertical extents of two balconies using a visual matching task. On one of the balconies, participants engaged in an imagery exercise designed to enhance the subjective sense that they were acting in a dangerous environment by picturing themselves falling. As expected, we found that individuals overestimated the balcony's height more after they imagined themselves falling, particularly if they were already afraid of heights. These findings suggest that height fear may serve as a vulnerability factor that leads to perceptual biases when triggered by a stressor (in this case, images of falling). Keywords imagery; visual perception; height fear; acrophobiaClinicians have long recognized the seeming perceptual distortions that many fearful clients exhibit. For an individual with a phobia, a small garden snake may achieve epic proportions, a harmless spider might appear to scurry at breakneck speeds, and a neutral expression can suddenly "look" like a menacing scowl. Drawing from these anecdotal claims, our goal with the current study was to examine the relationship between visual perception and height fear. Moreover, we sought to investigate one of the mechanisms that may underlie perceptual biases -imagery that enhances fears of interacting in a "dangerous" environment.The idea that biases in visual perception might be associated with pathological anxiety has received some prior empirical support. For instance, Riskind, Kelly, Moore, Harman, and 4Correspondence concerning this paper should be addressed to Elise M. Clerkin at the Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4400. Phone: .edu. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. NIH Public Access NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript Gaines (1992) found that spider fearful (versus non-fearful) individuals reported relatively faster forward motion of a spider while viewing a video of a spider crawling toward them (but not of a rabbit moving forward). Similarly, Rachman and Cuk (1992) found that fearful (relative to non-fearful) individuals verbally reported greater estimates of a snake's flickering tongue movements and a spider's jumping movements, and that these biases were diminished following fear reduction. While these types of studies provide intriguing clues as to the ways in which fear may alter visu...

Despite predictions following from cognitive theories of anxiety, evidence for memory biases in social anxiety has been mixed. This study extends previous research by using stimuli relevant to participants' concerns and allowing time for post-event processing. Participants high (n = 42) or low (n = 39) in social anxiety symptoms gave speeches and received standardized feedback on their and a confederate's performance. Participants then took recognition and recall tests for the feedback immediately after it was given and after a two-day delay. Results showed no recall biases. However, the hypothesized recognition biases were found: the high social anxiety group remembered the confederate's feedback more positively than their own, remembered their negative feedback as worse than the low group, and diminished positive feedback over time. Moreover, post-event processing mediated the relationship between social anxiety and memory for negative feedback. Results suggest that biased recognition of social feedback is linked to social anxiety.

We appreciate the thought provoking and helpful comments provided by numerous individuals, who shall remain anonymous, over the course of preparing this paper. This paper originated as a collaboration among colleagues affiliated with the Coalition for the Advancement and Application of Psychological Science (CAAPS). This paper is dedicated to the memory of the late Varda Shoham.