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Abstract
Evaluative conditioning (EC) research investigates changes in the evaluation of a stimulus after co-occurrence with an affective stimulus. To explain the motivation behind this research, this review begins with an overview of the history of EC research, followed by a summary of the state of the art with respect to three key questions. First, how should EC procedures be used to influence evaluation? We provide a guide based on evidence concerning the functional properties of EC effects. Second, how does the EC effect occur? We discuss the possible mediating cognitive processes and their automaticity. Third, are EC effects ubiquitous outside the lab? We discuss the evidence for the external validity of EC research. We conclude that the most important open questions pertain to the relevance of EC to everyday life and to the level of control that characterizes the processes that mediate the EC effect after people notice the stimulus co-occurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Moran
- Department of Education and Psychology, The Open University of Israel, Ra'anana, Israel; .,Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yahel Nudler
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel: ,
| | - Yoav Bar-Anan
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel: ,
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2
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Ruszpel B, Gast A. Memory and preparedness in evaluative conditioning in a smell-taste paradigm. A registered report. Cogn Emot 2020; 34:1068-1082. [PMID: 31992132 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2020.1719982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
We investigate two questions, (1) the relevance of memory for evaluative conditioning (EC) effects based on smell-taste pairings, and (2) the potential preparedness of smell-taste combinations for yielding EC effects. The relevance of memory for EC effects is a subject of intense research. The majority of studies that investigate the memory-EC relation use visual stimuli and typically show no or relatively small EC effects without memory. For smell-taste combinations, only a few studies exist, with mixed results regarding the role of memory in EC. The idea that there might be a preparedness of smell and taste pairings comes from classical conditioning studies showing preparedness in food aversion and from research on joint processing of smells and tastes. In Experiment 1, we report a conceptual replication of previous studies with smell-taste and picture-taste pairings. In this experiment, we found no evidence for memory-independent EC overall. In a pre-registered Experiment 2, we used a design with smells, pictures, tastes, and sounds to test the role of memory more conclusively and test the preparedness hypothesis for smell-taste pairings. The results support the preparedness hypothesis for smell-taste pairings in EC. Furthermore, as in Experiment 1, we did not find evidence for memory-independent EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borys Ruszpel
- Department of Psychology, Social Cognition Center Cologne, University of Cologne, Koln, Germany
| | - Anne Gast
- Department of Psychology, Social Cognition Center Cologne, University of Cologne, Koln, Germany
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3
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Walther E, Blask K, Halbeisen G, Frings C. An action control perspective of evaluative conditioning. EUROPEAN REVIEW OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/10463283.2019.1699743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eva Walther
- Department of Psychology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
| | - Katarina Blask
- Department of Psychology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
| | - Georg Halbeisen
- Department of Psychology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
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4
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Boddez Y, Descheemaeker M, Mertens G, Truyts A, Van de Cruys S. Like what you see: Generalization of social learning determines art appreciation. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2019; 196:18-25. [PMID: 30965201 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 03/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We examine whether a stimulus generalization framework can provide insight in how experience shapes evaluative responses to artworks. Participants received positive information about one artwork and negative information about another artwork. Afterwards, we tested their evaluative responses not only to these artworks but also to similar artworks, which allowed us to assess generalization. Results showed that the artwork that was paired with positive information and the artwork that was similar to it were evaluated more positively than the other artworks. These findings confirm that theories that aim to explain art appreciation could benefit from taking learning and its generalization into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Boddez
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Experimental Psychopathology, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Mathilde Descheemaeker
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Experimental Psychopathology, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gaëtan Mertens
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Astrid Truyts
- Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sander Van de Cruys
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Brain & Cognition Unit, KU Leuven, Belgium
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Bar-Anan Y, Balas R. Why Does Co-Occurrence Change Evaluation? Introduction to a Special Issue on Evaluative Conditioning. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2018. [DOI: 10.5964/spb.v13i3.29154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
None needed
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Hughes S, De Houwer J, Barnes-Holmes D. The Moderating Impact of Distal Regularities on the Effect of Stimulus Pairings. Exp Psychol 2016; 63:20-44. [PMID: 27025533 DOI: 10.1027/1618-3169/a000310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Throughout much of the past century psychologists have focused their attention on a seemingly simple question: How do people come to like or dislike stimuli in the environment? Evaluative Conditioning (EC) - a change in liking due to the pairing of stimuli - has been offered as one avenue through which novel preferences may be formed and existing ones altered. In the current article, we offer a new look at EC from the perspective of Contextual Behavioral Science (CBS) and, more specifically, Relational Frame Theory (RFT). We briefly review the EC literature, introduce Contextual Behavioral Science (CBS), Relational Frame Theory (RFT), and then describe a behavioral phenomenon known as arbitrarily applicable relational responding (AARR). Afterwards, we examine the relationship between EC and AARR. This novel perspective offers ways to organize existing as well as predict new EC effects, contributes to debates on "genuine" EC, human versus nonhuman EC, and further facilitates the development and refinement of cognitive theories of EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Hughes
- 1 Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Jan De Houwer
- 1 Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Dermot Barnes-Holmes
- 1 Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
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Moran T, Bar-Anan Y, Nosek BA. The Assimilative Effect of Co-Occurrence on Evaluation Above and Beyond the Effect of Relational Qualifiers. SOCIAL COGNITION 2016. [DOI: 10.1521/soco.2016.34.5.435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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9
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Förderer S, Unkelbach C. The moderating role of attribute accessibility in conditioning multiple specific attributes. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.1994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Förderer
- Department Psychologie; Universität zu Köln; Cologne Germany
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Le Pelley M, Calvini G, Spears R. Learned predictiveness influences automatic evaluations in human contingency learning. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2013; 66:217-28. [DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2012.708760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Experiments used an affective priming procedure to investigate whether evaluative conditioning in humans is subject to bias as a consequence of differences in the learned predictiveness of the cues involved. Experiment 1, using brief prime presentation, demonstrated stronger affective priming for cues that had been predictive of a neutral attribute prior to evaluative conditioning than for those that had been nonpredictive. Experiment 2, using longer prime presentation, found a reversed priming effect for previously predictive cues but not for previously nonpredictive cues. The implication is that the effect observed with brief prime presentation reflects the operation of fast-acting, automatic evaluation mechanisms and hence that evaluative conditioning can be biased by our previous learning about the predictiveness of cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.E. Le Pelley
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - G. Calvini
- School of Psychology, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK
| | - R. Spears
- Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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López R, Poy R, Patrick CJ, Moltó J. Deficient fear conditioning and self-reported psychopathy: The role of fearless dominance. Psychophysiology 2012; 50:210-8. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2012.01493.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2012] [Accepted: 10/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raúl López
- Affective Neuroscience Lab; Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology; Psychobiology; Universitat Jaume I; Castellón; Spain
| | - Rosario Poy
- Affective Neuroscience Lab; Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology; Psychobiology; Universitat Jaume I; Castellón; Spain
| | | | - Javier Moltó
- Affective Neuroscience Lab; Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology; Psychobiology; Universitat Jaume I; Castellón; Spain
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13
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Walther E, Weil R, Langer T. Why Do We Like the iPhone? The Role of Evaluative Conditioning in Attitude Formation. SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY COMPASS 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2011.00366.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Walther E, Weil R, Düsing J. The Role of Evaluative Conditioning in Attitude Formation. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2011. [DOI: 10.1177/0963721411408771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In this article, we address how attitudes are acquired. We present evaluative conditioning (EC) as an explanation for attitude formation and attitude change. EC refers to changes in liking due to pairings of affectively meaningful and neutral stimuli. We discuss four different theoretical accounts of EC and outline current issues and avenues for future research.
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Laane K, Aru J, Dickinson A. Non-competitive liking for brands. No blocking in evaluative conditioning. Appetite 2010; 54:100-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2009.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2008] [Revised: 09/20/2009] [Accepted: 09/21/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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López R, Poy R, Pastor MC, Segarra P, Moltó J. Cardiac defense response as a predictor of fear learning. Int J Psychophysiol 2009; 74:229-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2009.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2009] [Revised: 07/29/2009] [Accepted: 09/16/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Prescott J, Murphy S. Inhibition of evaluative and perceptual odour-taste learning by attention to the stimulus elements. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2009; 62:2133-40. [PMID: 19565428 DOI: 10.1080/17470210903031169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Pairing of odours and tastes in solution results in the odour taking on the taste's hedonic and perceptual properties. Theoretical accounts of such conditioning propose that the stimulus elements form a configuration with hedonic and/or perceptual properties. One implication of this account is that configural binding may be inhibited by allocation of attention to the individual elements during conditioning (analytical attention). This was tested here by training participants to attend analytically or synthetically during pairing of odours with either sucrose or water. Differential conditioning effects for sucrose- and water-paired odours were seen only in the synthetic group, with sucrose-paired odours increasing in both smelled sweetness and liking. These data support configural models as explanations for these forms of associative learning and emphasize the role of top-down processes in mediating transfer of perceptual and hedonic properties from tastes to odours.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Prescott
- School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia.
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Jones CR, Fazio RH, Olson MA. Implicit misattribution as a mechanism underlying evaluative conditioning. J Pers Soc Psychol 2009; 96:933-48. [PMID: 19379028 DOI: 10.1037/a0014747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Evaluative conditioning (EC) refers to the formation or change of an attitude toward an object, following that object's pairing with positively or negatively valenced stimuli. The authors provide evidence that EC can occur through an implicit misattribution mechanism in which an evaluative response evoked by a valenced stimulus is incorrectly and implicitly attributed to another stimulus, forming or changing an attitude toward this other stimulus. In 5 studies, the authors measured or manipulated variables related to the potential for the misattribution of an evaluation, or source confusability. Greater EC was observed when participants' eye gaze shifted frequently between a valenced and a neutral stimulus (Studies 1 & 2), when the 2 stimuli appeared in close spatial proximity (Study 3), and when the neutral stimulus was made more perceptually salient than was the valenced stimulus, due to the larger size of the neutral stimulus (Study 4). In other words, conditions conducive to source confusability increased EC. Study 5 provided evidence for multiple mechanisms of EC by comparing the effects of mildly evocative valenced stimuli (those evoking responses that might more easily be misattributed to another object) with more strongly evocative stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Jones
- Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1287, USA
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21
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Dwyer DM, Jarratt F, Dick K. Evaluative conditioning with foods as CSs and body shapes as USs: No evidence for sex differences, extinction, or overshadowing. Cogn Emot 2007. [DOI: 10.1080/02699930600551592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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22
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Kruglanski AW, Orehek E. Partitioning the Domain of Social Inference: Dual Mode and Systems Models and Their Alternatives. Annu Rev Psychol 2007; 58:291-316. [PMID: 16968211 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.psych.58.110405.085629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Recent decades of theorizing about social inference phenomena have seen a variety of models that partitioned the underlying processes into two qualitatively distinct types whose specific nature was depicted differently in the different frameworks. The present article reviews major such partitioning efforts as well as their proposed alternatives, and discusses their unique features, their commonalities, and the conceptual and empirical issues that they raise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arie W Kruglanski
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742-4411, USA.
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Kruglanski AW, Dechesne M. Are associative and propositional processes qualitatively distinct? Comment on Gawronski and Bodenhausen (2006). Psychol Bull 2006; 132:736-739. [PMID: 16910750 DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.132.5.736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The authors comment on B. Gawronski and G. V. Bodenhausen's (2006) associative-propositional evaluation model of implicit and explicit attitudes by examining the claims that (a) truth value is attached to propositions but not to associations; (b) pattern activation is qualitatively different from syllogistic structure of arguments; and (c) Pavlovian conditioning may be propositional, whereas evaluative conditioning is not. They conclude that despite surface dissimilarities between implicit and explicit attitudes both may be mediated by the same underlying process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark Dechesne
- Department of Social Psychology, Radboud University of Nijmegen
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Kruglanski AW, Dechesne M, Erb HP, Pierro A, Mannetti L, Chun WY. AUTHORS' RESPONSES: Modes, Systems and the Sirens of Specificity: The Issues in Gist. PSYCHOLOGICAL INQUIRY 2006. [DOI: 10.1207/s15327965pli1703_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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25
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Fulcher EP, Hammerl M. Reactance in affective‐evaluative learning: Outside of conscious control? Cogn Emot 2005; 19:197-216. [DOI: 10.1080/02699930441000283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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26
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Wunsch A, Philippot P, Plaghki L. Affective associative learning modifies the sensory perception of nociceptive stimuli without participant's awareness. Pain 2003; 102:27-38. [PMID: 12620594 DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3959(02)00331-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The present experiment examined the possibility to change the sensory and/or the affective perception of thermal stimuli by an emotional associative learning procedure known to operate without participants' awareness (evaluative conditioning). In a mixed design, an aversive conditioning procedure was compared between subjects to an appetitive conditioning procedure. Both groups were also compared within-subject to a control condition (neutral conditioning). The aversive conditioning was induced by associating non-painful and painful thermal stimuli - delivered on the right forearm - with unpleasant slides. The appetitive conditioning consisted in an association between thermal stimuli - also delivered on the right forearm - and pleasant slides. The control condition consisted in an association between thermal stimuli - delivered for all participants on the left forearm - and neutral slides. The effects of the conditioning procedures on the sensory and affective dimensions were evaluated with visual analogue scale (VAS)-intensity and VAS-unpleasantness. Startle reflex was used as a physiological index of emotional valence disposition. Results confirmed that no participants were aware of the conditioning procedure. After unpleasant slides (aversive conditioning), non-painful and painful thermal stimuli were judged more intense and more unpleasant than when preceded by neutral slides (control condition) or pleasant slides (appetitive conditioning). Despite a strong correlation between the intensity and the unpleasantness scales, effects were weaker for the affective scale and, became statistically non-significant when VAS-intensity was used as covariate. This experiment shows that it is possible to modify the perception of intensity of thermal stimuli by a non-conscious learning procedure based on the transfer of the valence of the unconditioned stimuli (pleasant or unpleasant slides) towards the conditioned stimuli (non-painful and painful thermal stimuli). These results plead for a conception of pain as a conscious output of complex informational processes all of which are not accessible to participants' awareness. Mechanisms by which affective input may influence sensory experience and clinical implications of the present study are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabel Wunsch
- Faculty of Psychology, Université catholique de Louvain, Place de l'Université 1, B-1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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27
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Abstract
Flavour preference learning in 21 restrained and 21 unrestrained females was explored using an evaluative conditioning paradigm. Each participant was exposed to an adapted version of the procedure used by Johnsrude et al., (1999, Learning & Motivation30, 250-264). During conditioning, participants sampled 10 instances each of three novel flavours presented in a semi-randomized order. After sampling a flavour they were instructed to eat a sweet according to three different flavour-reinforcement contingencies. One flavour was accompanied by a sweet on 90% of trials and was presented alone on 10% of the trials, while the remaining flavours were rewarded at ratios 50% : 50% and 10% : 90%, respectively. The conditioning phase occurred in conjunction with a counting task requiring continuous use of working memory, and was immediately followed by the participants making hedonic ratings of each flavour. Very few participants showed awareness of the purpose of the experiment or the specific reward contingencies. Despite this, the ratings given by the unrestrained eaters were highly correlated with the reward ratio experienced during conditioning. In contrast, restrained eaters exhibited no evidence for evaluative learning. These findings may explain the equivocal nature of results from previous studies of positive flavour-flavour learning (FFL) and may offer a novel theoretical context within which to study dietary restraint.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Brunstrom
- Human Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
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28
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De Houwer J, Thomas S, Baeyens F. Associative learning of likes and dislikes: a review of 25 years of research on human evaluative conditioning. Psychol Bull 2001; 127:853-69. [PMID: 11726074 DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.127.6.853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 571] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Evaluative conditioning refers to changes in the liking of a stimulus that are due to the fact that the stimulus has been paired with other, positive or negative stimuli. Although evaluative conditioning appears to be subjected to certain boundary conditions, significant evaluative conditioning effects have been obtained using a large variety of stimuli and procedures. Some data suggest that evaluative conditioning can occur under conditions that do not support other forms of Pavlovian conditioning, and several models have been proposed to account for these differences. In the present article, the authors summarize the available literature, draw conclusions where possible, and provide suggestions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- J De Houwer
- Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, England.
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29
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Abstract
There is strong evidence in the literature that human evaluative conditioning can occur in the absence of conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus (CS-UCS) (contingency) awareness, yet this evidence has been disputed on methodological grounds. The current study replicated evaluative conditioning with some procedural modifications, including the use of mental imagery as a way of associating a UCS with a CS picture, and tests of long-term retention of contingency memory and preference ratings. While the acquisition of evaluative responses was found to be significantly dependent upon contingency awareness (especially for pairings with unpleasant images), preference ratings for the CSs 2 months later were still biased by their associated images but subjects could not recall the image for more than 90% of the pictures. These results demonstrate that performance of the evaluative response can occur independently of conscious memory for the contingencies involved, provide further support for a model which supposes the existence of dissociative storage structures in human classical conditioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- E P Fulcher
- Department of Psychology, Worcester College of Higher Education, Henwick Grove, U.K
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30
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Abstract
In two studies, we investigated the influence of aversive and nonaversive reinforcers on startle reactivity, visceral responses, and self-report during Pavlovian conditioning. Furthermore, we assessed how awareness of the stimulus contingencies affect conditioned discrimination in the different response systems. Conditioned potentiation of the startle response was only observed in the context of aversive learning. Moreover, blink potentiation occurred without awareness of the relationship between the conditioned and unconditioned stimulus. In contrast, skin conductance conditioning was independent of the aversiveness of the reinforcer and was only obtained for those individuals who could correctly verbalize the stimulus contingency in a postconditioning recognition test. Cardiac responses varied with the task demands of the situation and covaried with individual response stereotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A O Hamm
- Department of Clinical and Physiological Psychology, University of Giessen, Germany
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Defining the important theoretical questions to ask about evaluative conditioning: A reply to Martin and Levey (1994). Behav Res Ther 1994. [DOI: 10.1016/0005-7967(94)90126-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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