Renewal of Comparator Stimuli
- ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- James Denniston Ph.D., Associate Professor and Department Chairperson (Creator)
- Institution
- Appalachian State University (ASU )
- Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/
Abstract: Prior research has found a) recovery from overshadowing as a result of posttraining
extinction of comparator stimuli (i.e., the overshadowing stimulus), and b) context
modulation of conditioned responding to Pavlovian stimuli (i.e., renewal). The
present research brought together these two findings by investigating whether comparator
stimuli are subject to contextual control. In a Pavlovian conditioned suppression
situation, rats were exposed to an overshadowing procedure (i.e., AX1) in one
context and then received extinction of the overshadowing cue (i.e., A2) in the same
or a different context. If AX1 training and subsequent extinction of A occurred in
the same context, animals exhibited recovery of responding to the target cue (i.e.,
X) regardless of the test context. However, if AX1 training and extinction of A
occurred in different contexts, behavior depended on the test context. If X was tested
in the overshadowing context, overshadowing was observed. But if X was tested
in the context where A had been extinguished or in a third (neutral) context, overshadowing
was not observed. Thus, context modulates comparator effects in a manner
somewhat similar to how it modulates simple Pavlovian responding. The notable
exception was that robust responding to both A and X was observed in the neutral
context, which is problematic for most contemporary theories of learning.
Renewal of Comparator Stimuli
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Gunther, L. M., Denniston, J. C., & Miller, R. R. (1998). Renewal of comparator stimuli. Learning and Motivation, 29(2): 200-219. (May 1998) Published by Elsevier (ISSN: 1095-9122). DOI:10.1006/lmot.1998.1003
- Language: English
- Date: 1998