Elsevier

Learning and Motivation

Volume 2, Issue 1, February 1971, Pages 1-11
Learning and Motivation

Backward conditoning as an inhibitory procedure

https://doi.org/10.1016/0023-9690(71)90043-9Get rights and content

Abstract

Four independent groups of subjects received classical conditioning acquisition following exposure to the CS, the US, both in a noncontingent manner, or both in a backward-paired manner (the US always immediately preceding the CS). A fifth group received no preconditioning experience with the conditioning stimuli. In both the conditioned suppression situation with rats (Experiment 1) and the eyelid conditioning situation with rabbits (Experiment 2), preconditioning experience with the conditioning stimuli retarded acquisition. This retardation was most pronounced in subjects which had preexposure to the CS and the US in a backward-paired manner, suggesting that the backward contingency produced inhibitory tendencies in excess of those expected simply on the basis of any nonassociative effects of adaptation to the CS and US.

References (26)

  • D.C. Anderson et al.

    Pre-conditioning exposures to the CS: Variation in place of testing

    Psychonomic Science

    (1969)
  • C.J. Brimer et al.

    Disinhibition, habituation, sensitization, and the conditioned emotional response

    Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

    (1963)
  • G.N. Cantor

    Stimulus familiarization effect and the change effect in children's motor task behavior

    Psychological Bulletin

    (1969)
  • I. Gormezano

    Classical conditioning

  • L.J. Hammond

    Retardation of fear acquisition by a previously inhibitory CS

    Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

    (1968)
  • L.J. Kamin

    Apparent adaptation effects in the acquisition of a conditioned emotional response

    Canadian Journal of Psychology

    (1961)
  • G.A. Kimble

    Hilgard and Marquis' conditioning and learning

    (1961)
  • J. Konorski

    Conditioned reflexes and neuron organization

    (1948)
  • R.E. Lubow et al.

    Latent inhibition: The effect of nonreinforced pre-exposure to the conditioned stimulus

    Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

    (1959)
  • R.E. Lubow et al.

    Latent inhibition within the CER paradigm

    Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

    (1969)
  • A. Moscovitch et al.

    Role of safety in the Pavlovian backward fear conditioning procedure

    Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

    (1968)
  • I.P. Pavlov

    Conditioned reflexes

    (1927)
  • I.P. Pavlov

    Lectures on conditioned reflexes

    (1928)
  • Cited by (0)

    This research was supported by Research Grant APA 0298 from the National Research Council of Canada.

    View full text