Attenuating experimentally acquired disgust: Comparing counterconditioning, exposure and unconditioned stimulus revaluation

Abstract

Background and objectivesDisgust is implicated in the aetiology and maintenance of various psychopathologies such as anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Despite its prominent role in psychopathology, little is known about how to effectively attenuate disgust. The study examined strategies to modify an experimentally acquired disgust response in a sample of undergraduate students. MethodsA conditioning paradigm was used where participants (N = 175) first underwent acquisition of disgust via repeated presentations of a neutral picture (functioning as conditioned stimulus + [CS+]) paired with a disgusting picture (functioning as unconditioned stimulus [US]). Participants were then randomly assigned to either an exposure (repeated presentation of CS-only trials), counterconditioning (pairing CS+ with pleasant pictures), US revaluation (pairing disgusting US with pleasant pictures) or a control (filler task) condition. We hypothesised that counterconditioning would attenuate evaluative learned disgust to the greatest extent, relative to exposure and US revaluation. Participants’ evaluations of the pictures were attained with a disgust-pleasantness visual analogue scale. ResultsExposure, counterconditioning and US revaluation reduced disgusting US expectancies. However, experimental and control conditions did not differ in terms of attenuating disgust towards CS+. LimitationsMeasures of psychopathology and implicit evaluations of disgust were not collected. Modest power might have limited significance of the results. ConclusionsNo statistical support for the effectiveness of disgust attenuation following exposure nor counterconditioning were found. Findings for US revaluation are inconclusive. Implications for future research are discussed.