Misattribution in a Fearful Situation following Different Modes of Arousal

Abstract

52 female college students were exposed to procedures expected to produce some physical or emotional arousal (viewing a sexually-explicit film or riding an exercise bicycle) and were subsequently asked to approach a snake, of which they had previously reported being afraid. Their performance was compared to that of control subjects who had been exposed to non-arousing tasks (viewing a film about sunspots or reading an article about exercise). The prediction that prior arousal would produce misattribution and reduce snake avoidance was not supported.