This experimental study intended to investigate the effects of repetitive experiences of aversiveness on subjective and physiological anxiety responses during the anticipatory period under coping situation. Subjects were assigned into two experimental groups, one expoused to high coping situation and other expoused to low coping situation.
As the repetition of experiences, in both groups, heart rate and anxiety ratings were decreased, markedly in the coping anticipatory period. But in the shock anticipatory period, only the high coping group revealed low anxiety ratings. These findings suggested that repetitive experiences had more dominant effects than coping availability on the decreament of anxiety responses.