Learning in rich networks involves both positive and negative associations

Adaptive behaviors are believed to be shaped by both positive (the strengthening of correct associations) and negative (the pruning of incorrect associations or the building of inhibitory associations) forms of associative learning. However, there has been little direct documentation of how these basic processes participate in the learning of rich associative networks that support cognitive behaviors like categorization. Although negative associative learning is an important component of theories of development, it is not clear whether it involves acquiring specific (experience-dependent) content or represents a more general aspect of (experience-expectant) development. The authors thus trained pigeons on a complex many-to-many learning paradigm previously established as an analog to human word learning. Pigeons learned to map 16 objects onto 16 distinct report tokens; the authors manipulated the amount of negative associative learning that could occur by restricting which tokens were available as incorrect options. In testing, accuracy was lower on trials with foils that had not been presented with a target than on trials with previously experienced foils. Moreover, when the correct token was withheld, pigeons preferred foils novel to the target object over previously experienced foils. A second experiment replicated these results and further found that these effects only emerged after some positive associations had been acquired. Findings indicate that the learning of rich associative networks does not depend solely on positive associative learning, but also on negative associative learning; this conclusion has important implications for basic learning theories in both animals and humans, as well as for theories of development. (PsycINFO Database Record