Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
13:24
A Procedure to Observe Context-induced Renewal of Pavlovian-conditioned Alcohol-seeking Behavior in Rats
Published on: September 19, 2014
Interactions between retroactive-interference and context-mediated treatments that impair pavlovian conditioned
Daniel S Wheeler1, Ralph R Miller
1State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902-6000, USA.
Learning & Behavior
|April 28, 2007
Summary
Context-mediated competition in Pavlovian fear conditioning counteracts interference between cues trained separately. This research demonstrates that retroactive interference (RI) can reduce conditioned responding decrements, even when cues are trained apart.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Learning and memory
- Cognitive psychology
Background:
- Pavlovian fear conditioning involves learning associations between neutral cues and aversive outcomes.
- Context-specific learning can influence conditioned responding, sometimes leading to decrements.
- Competition between cues can occur when multiple stimuli are presented together (overshadowing) or separately (retroactive interference).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether context-mediated competition counteracts retroactive interference (RI) in Pavlovian fear conditioning.
- To determine if the effects of RI are similar to context-mediated decrements like the US preexposure effect.
- To examine the interaction between RI and other factors affecting conditioned responding, such as trial massing.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted using rats in a conditioned lick suppression paradigm.
- Experiment 1 manipulated cue contingency and introduced retroactive interference (RI).
- Experiment 2 examined the effect of RI on trial massing in fear conditioning.
Main Results:
- A combination of degraded contingency and RI treatments resulted in a smaller decrement in conditioned responding compared to either treatment alone.
- Retroactive interference (RI) treatment attenuated the negative impact of trial massing on conditioned responding.
- These findings indicate that context-mediated competition and interference between separately trained cues share empirical similarities.
Conclusions:
- Context-mediated competition plays a role in counteracting interference between cues trained separately.
- Retroactive interference (RI) can mitigate decrements in conditioned responding.
- The study highlights shared mechanisms between different forms of associative interference in learning.
Related Concept Videos
01:16Interference and Decay
Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
01:15Real-World Application of Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning not only includes the initial pairing of stimuli but also extends to more complex forms, such as higher-order conditioning. Higher-order conditioning involves creating associations beyond the primary conditioned stimulus, resulting in a chain of conditioned responses.
Higher-order, or second-order, conditioning occurs when a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an already established conditioned stimulus through repeated pairings. For instance, if a dog has been...
Higher-order, or second-order, conditioning occurs when a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an already established conditioned stimulus through repeated pairings. For instance, if a dog has been...
01:23Principles of Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning, as described by Ivan Pavlov, is a foundational concept in associative learning, where a neutral stimulus becomes capable of eliciting a conditioned response through association with an unconditioned stimulus. The process of acquisition, where this learning occurs, and the subsequent phenomena of contiguity, contingency, generalization, discrimination, extinction, and spontaneous recovery are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of classical conditioning.
During the...
During the...
01:24Operant Conditioning Intervention
Operant conditioning serves as a foundational principle in therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive behaviors. Central to this approach is the notion that behaviors, both adaptive and maladaptive, are learned through reinforcement. By analyzing the environmental factors that reinforce problematic behaviors, clinicians can design interventions to weaken these reinforcements and replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives.
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
01:17Classical Conditioning in Daily Life
Classical conditioning, a fundamental principle of associative learning, explains various phenomena observed in daily life, such as fear development, the placebo effect, taste aversion, and drug habituation. These applications demonstrate the profound impact of associative learning on human behavior and physiological responses.
John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner famously demonstrated the development of fear through classical conditioning in their experiment with Little Albert. They paired the...
John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner famously demonstrated the development of fear through classical conditioning in their experiment with Little Albert. They paired the...
01:18Classical Conditioning
Associative learning, a core principle in behavioral psychology, involves forming connections between events and facilitating learned responses. This concept is vividly illustrated by classical conditioning, a process extensively studied by the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov. Pavlov's pioneering research on dogs' digestive systems led to the discovery that behaviors can be learned through association, laying the groundwork for classical conditioning.
Ivan Pavlov observed that dogs salivated...
Ivan Pavlov observed that dogs salivated...