Question

Who argued that while the experience of a split-second fear response may not involve conscious thinking, it still requires an effortless, unconscious cognitive appraisal?

Answer 1

I believe the answer is: Richard Lazarus
Richard Lazarus believed that split-second fear response is influenced by two factors, conscious thinking and basic emotions.
Lazarus' theory explains why two individuals could experiences 2 different emotions when experiencing a same event.