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Common processes may contribute to extinction and habituation.
Frances K McSweeney1, Samantha Swindell
1Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-4820, USA. fkmcs@mail.wsu.edu
The Journal of General Psychology
|December 24, 2002
Summary
This study suggests habituation, a simpler process, may explain some characteristics of conditioned behavior during extinction, rather than complex cognitive retrieval. This offers a parsimonious alternative for understanding behavioral changes.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Learning and Conditioning
Background:
- Psychologists often explain conditioned behavior during extinction using complex cognitive processes like memory retrieval.
- This perspective overlooks simpler, well-established mechanisms that could account for observed behavioral changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and evaluate habituation as a potential explanation for key characteristics of conditioned behavior during extinction.
- To challenge the cognitive-centric view of extinction by presenting a simpler, alternative model.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of behavioral extinction properties with established habituation characteristics.
- Theoretical evaluation of habituation as a parsimonious explanation for extinction phenomena.
Main Results:
- Behavior undergoing extinction exhibits 12 fundamental properties consistent with habituation.
- Habituation to stimuli controlling responding offers a simpler explanation for response decrease during extinction.
Conclusions:
- Habituation provides a parsimonious and empirically supported explanation for some aspects of conditioned behavior extinction.
- While offering valuable insights, the habituation model may not fully encompass all characteristics of extinguished behavior.