The Rescorla-Wagner model: losses in associative strength in compound conditioned stimuli.
This series of experiments demonstrated that compound conditioned stimuli (CSs) highly conditioned in isolation lose conditioned response strength when compound-CS-unconditioned stimulus (US) pairings are given. This loss in conditioned responding was a positive function of the number of compound-CS-US pairings and was greater for the more salient stimulus. Finally, if a previously neutral stimulus was compounded with two previously conditioned cues, the neutral stimulus could acquire conditioned inhibitory properties with only compound-CS-US pairings. These results provide support for some aspects of the Rescorla-Wagner model.
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning; D003214:Conditioning, Classical; D003463:Cues; D005108:Extinction, Psychological; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D051381:Rats