Inhibitory associations contribute to perceptual learning in humans.
Perceptual learning in humans was examined in 2 experiments. In Experiment 1, participants received intermixed exposure to 2 similar compounds (AX, BX, AX, BX, . . .) and blocked exposure to a 2nd pair of similar compounds (CY, CY, . . . , DY, DY, . . .). Aversions established to AX and CY generalized less to BX than to DY. In Experiment 2, 1 pair of compounds was presented in a forward order (i.e., AX3BX), whereas the 2nd pair of compounds was presented in a backward order (i.e., DY-->CY). Aversions established to AX and CY generalized less to BX than to DY. These results indicate that inhibitory associations contribute to perceptual learning in humans and thereby establish a fundamental similarity between the mechanisms that underlie perceptual learning in humans and rats.
Mundy
M E
ME
School of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK. mundym@cardiff.ac.uk
Dwyer
D M
DM
Honey
R C
RC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010469:Perceptual Distortion / Q000502:physiology*; D010470:Perceptual Masking / Q000502:physiology; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*