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Can existing associative principles explain occasion setting? Some old ideas and some new data
Charlotte Bonardi1, Jasper Robinson1, Dómhnall Jennings2
1School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Behavioural Processes
|July 19, 2016
Summary
Occasion setting, a learning process, is better explained by hierarchical control theories than configural theories. Hierarchical processes offer a more robust explanation for occasion-setting effects in associative learning.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Occasion setting is a learning phenomenon distinct from simple associative processes.
- Research has focused on understanding the mechanisms of occasion setters.
- Two main theoretical frameworks exist: hierarchical control and configural theories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the theoretical distinction between hierarchical and configural approaches to occasion setting.
- To present novel data relevant to these theories.
- To argue for the necessity of hierarchical processes in explaining occasion-setting effects.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on occasion setting.
- Presentation and discussion of new experimental data (details not specified in abstract).
- Theoretical analysis comparing hierarchical and configural explanations.
Main Results:
- Configural theories, while accounting for some data, require numerous assumptions.
- Configural theories are logically unable to explain certain classes of evidence.
- Novel data supports the limitations of configural explanations.
Conclusions:
- The contribution of configural processes to learning is acknowledged.
- Configural theories face significant challenges in explaining all occasion-setting data.
- Hierarchical processes provide a more comprehensive explanation for occasion-setting effects.
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