Observation of others’ threat reactions recovers memories previously shaped by firsthand experiences

Jan Haaker, Lorenzo Diaz-Mataix, Gemma Guillazo-Blanch, Sara A. Stark, Lea Kern, Joseph E. LeDoux, Andreas Olsson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Information about dangers can spread effectively by observation of others’ threat responses. Yet, it is unclear if such observational threat information interacts with associative memories that are shaped by the individual’s direct, firsthand experiences. Here, we show in humans and rats that the mere observation of a conspecific’s threat reactions reinstates previously learned and extinguished threat responses in the observer. In two experiments, human participants displayed elevated physiological responses to threat-conditioned cues after observational reinstatement in a context-specific manner. The elevation of physiological responses (arousal) was further specific to the context that was observed as dangerous. An analogous experiment in rats provided converging results by demonstrating reinstatement of defensive behavior after observing another rat’s threat reactions. Taken together, our findings provide cross-species evidence that observation of others’ threat reactions can recover associations previously shaped by direct, firsthand aversive experiences. Our study offers a perspective on how retrieval of threat memories draws from associative mechanisms that might underlie both observations of others’ and firsthand experiences.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere2101290118
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume118
Issue number30
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 27 2021

Keywords

  • Reinstatement
  • Social learning
  • Threat conditioning
  • Vicarious learning

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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