They are afraid of the animal, so therefore I am too: Influence of peer modeling on fear beliefs and approach–avoidance behaviors towards animals in typically developing children
Open accessAbstract
This study investigated the effect of filmed peer modeling on fear beliefs and approach-avoidance behaviors towards animals in 8- to 10-year-old typically developing children. Ninety-seven children randomly received either a positive or negative modeling film in which they saw peers interact with a novel animal. Before and after this film, children's fear beliefs and avoidance tendencies towards the modeled and non-modeled control animal were measured. A behavioral approach task was also administered post-modeling. Following positive peer modeling, children's fear beliefs and avoidance tendencies towards the modeled but also towards the non-modeled animal decreased significantly. After negative modeling, children's fear beliefs towards the modeled animal increased significantly, but did not change for the non-modeled animal. Negative modeling did not change avoidance tendencies for the modeled animal, while it decreased children's avoidance of the non-modeled animal. No significant effects were observed on the behavioral approach task. These results support Rachman's indirect pathway of modeling/vicarious learning as a plausible mechanism by which children can acquire fears of novel stimuli and stresses the important fear-reducing effects of positive peer modeling. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.
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Positive maternal modelling decreases children's fear beliefs.
“In contrast, positive maternal modelling decreases children ' s fear beliefs (Broeren et al., 2011; Egliston & Rapee, 2007; Gerull & Rapee, 2002; Kelly et al., 2010).”
From Specific Phobia in Young Children: Associations between the Origins of Fear and Clinical Expression of Phobia Symptoms. (2025) · cites this paper as Broeren et al., 2011
The paper’s background discussion says positive maternal modelling may reduce children’s risk of developing fear, but describes the maternal study as finding more positive reactions and approach behaviour, not decreased fear beliefs. Its reported decrease in fear-belief scores followed positive peer modelling, so the claim combines a maternal model with an outcome demonstrated for peers. (LLM, conf=0.85)
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“In contrast, positive maternal modelling decreases children ’ s fear beliefs (Broeren et al., 2011; Egliston & Rapee, 2007; Gerull & Rapee, 2002; Kelly et al., 2010).”
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- Authors
- Broeren, S., Lester, K. J., Muris, P., & Field, A. P.
- Affiliations
- Erasmus University Rotterdam (NL)
- University of Sussex (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Broeren, Suzanne
- Venue
- Behaviour Research and Therapy
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-01
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 50-57
- ISSN
- 0005-7967 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2005124976
- Cited by
- 31
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 3 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 3.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Behaviour Research and Therapy (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Publications (Maastricht University) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Sussex Research Online (University of Sussex) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
- Keywords
- peer modeling, observational learning, fear beliefs, approach-avoidance behavior, animal phobia, children, novel stimuli, social learning
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Avoidance Learning, Child, Cognition, Fear, Female, Humans, Male, Peer Group
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