The “Arnold Schwarzenegger Effect”: Is strength of the “victim” related to misinterpretations of harm intrusions?

► We examined whether the victim's vulnerability in a harm-related intrusion affects TAF through an in vivo paradigm. ► 66 undergraduates were assigned to imagine either a vulnerable or able-bodied individual getting into a car accident. ► Thinking of a vulnerable, compared to an able-bodied person, in a car accident provoked greater TAF ratings. ► Therefore, more importance is attached to negative thoughts about vulnerable or helpless people. ► The findings of our study broadly support Rachman's (1998) cognitive model of obsessions.