Which factor likely contributed to a woman's fear of driving, given her cousin's fatal car accident?

The fear of driving that the woman experiences, influenced by her cousin's fatal car accident, can be attributed to informational transmission. This concept involves acquiring knowledge or information about a fearful situation through indirect means rather than personal experience. In this case, the woman's fear is shaped by hearing about the tragic event rather than having been involved in a car accident herself.

Informational transmission can instill fear by conveying the seriousness of risks associated with driving, particularly when the information presents a vivid and emotional story, such as a fatal accident involving a relative. As a result, the emotional impact of this information can lead to heightened anxiety and caution regarding driving.

In contrast, cognitive bias refers to patterns of thinking that can distort reality, while direct conditioning implies a learned response from personal experience with a stimulus. Vicarious acquisition involves learning through observation of someone else's experiences, which could also play a role but is not as directly related to the specific emotional reaction triggered by the tragic story the woman heard. Here, the strongest link to her fear appears to be the information received regarding the accident, making informational transmission the key factor in understanding her fear.