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US alone trials presented during acquisition do not disrupt classical eyeblink conditioning: Empirical and
M T Allen1, C E Myers2, D Williams3
1School of Psychological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, USA; Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences, Stress and Motivated Behavior Institute, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States.
Behavioural Brain Research
|October 22, 2017
Summary
Unpaired US-alone trials do not slow eyeblink conditioning learning, whether intermixed or blocked during training. This finding holds true in both human participants and computational models.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Computational neuroscience
Background:
- Partial reinforcement in classical conditioning often slows learning.
- Previous research indicates CS-alone trials slow eyeblink conditioning, but US-alone trials do not.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if US-alone trials, presented either intermixed or blocked, affect eyeblink conditioning acquisition.
- To compare the effects of interleaved vs. blocked US-alone trials.
- To validate empirical findings using a computational model of learning.
Main Methods:
- Ninety-seven undergraduates underwent eyeblink conditioning with 60 acquisition trials.
- Three groups received either 100% CS-US paired trials, intermixed US-alone trials, or blocked US-alone trials.
- A computational model of hippocampal and cerebellar learning was employed.
Main Results:
- Neither intermixed nor blocked US-alone trials disrupted the acquisition of conditioned eyeblinks.
- Empirical results were consistent with computational model predictions.
- Partial reinforcement with US-alone trials did not impede learning.
Conclusions:
- US-alone trials, regardless of presentation format, do not impair associative learning in eyeblink conditioning.
- The findings challenge traditional views of partial reinforcement effects.
- Further research into the neural mechanisms underlying these US-alone effects is warranted.
