Stimulus exposure effects in human associative learning.
Learning that one cue (CS) predicts a second, salient cue (US) can often be slowed by prior exposure to one or both stimuli. In animals, CS-US learning is more strongly retarded following uncorrelated exposure to both CS and US than following exposure to the US alone. In this paper we present several studies showing a similar effect in humans, using a computer-based task. Experiments 1 and 2 used a between-groups design and demonstrated a strong CS/US exposure effect, whether or not the US was signalled by a neutral cue during exposure. Experiment 3 demonstrated similar effects using a within-subjects design. Overall, these results are consistent with several theoretical interpretations and suggest that uncorrelated CS/US exposure leads to a robust retardation of subsequent CS-US learning in humans.
Myers
C E
CE
Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA. myers@pavlov.rutgers.edu
Oliver
L M
LM
Warren
S G
SG
Gluck
M A
MA
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001245:Association Learning; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011214:Practice, Psychological