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Selective associations and associative learning: Multiple mechanisms, multiple measures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2019

Bruce Cuthbert
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0165 brucec@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu
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Abstract

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Davey presents expectancy bias as an alternative explanation for preparedness effects in conditioning; this commentary mentions some of the problems in interpreting UCS expectancy designs vis-à-vis conditioning. A further complication is that other CS characteristics also influence conditioning: A recent experiment provided support for Rescorla and Wagner's (1972) hypothesis that the amount of conditioning is smaller when the CS and UCS elicit similarly valenced initial affective responses (as with a fear-relevant CS and shock UCS). Finally, different physiological systems measure different aspects of the conditioning process, a further consideration in interpreting the results of selective association studies.

Type
Continuing Commentary
Copyright
1997 Cambridge University Press