title: Affective learning in adults with intellectual disability: an experiment using evaluative conditioning.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evaluative conditioning is a form of affective learning in which initially neutral stimuli acquire an affective value through association with negative or positive stimuli. Recent research shows an important role for cognitive resources in this type of learning. This form of affective learning has rarely been studied in intellectual disability (ID).
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined evaluative conditioning in 16 adults with mild to moderate ID compared to age- and gender-matched control participants. Neutral shapes and symbols were repeatedly paired with positive, neutral or negative unconditioned stimuli (faces or International Affective Picture System images). There was also an extinction phase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was significant acquisition of conditioning in both groups. Stimuli paired with positive images were evaluated more positively, and stimuli paired with negative images were evaluated more negatively. Post-extinction ratings however show that these novel affective associations were not maintained by individuals with ID as much as by individuals in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that ID modulates some aspects of affective learning but not necessarily initial preference acquisition.
authors.affiliation: Département de Psychologie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Blanchette
authors.affiliation: Département de Psychologie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Treillet
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: affective learning; cognitive factors; evaluative conditioning; intellectual disability