scholarly journals Evaluative conditioning of artificial grammars: Evidence that subjectively-unconscious structures bias affective evaluations of novel stimuli

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Răzvan Jurchiș ◽  
Andrei Costea ◽  
Zoltan Dienes ◽  
Mircea Miclea ◽  
Adrian Opre
Keyword(s):  
Conditioned Stimulus ◽  
Unconditioned Stimulus ◽  
Emotional Valence ◽  
Neutral Stimulus ◽  
Evaluative Conditioning ◽  
The Other ◽  
Objective Measures ◽  
Affective Valence ◽  
Subjective Awareness ◽  
Artificial Grammars

Evaluative conditioning (EC) refers to the acquisition of emotional valence by an initially-neutral stimulus (conditioned stimulus; CS), after being paired with an emotional stimulus (unconditioned stimulus; US). An important issue regards whether, when participants are unaware of the CS-US contingency, the affective valence can generalize to new stimuli that share similarities with the CS. Previous studies have shown that generalization of EC effects appears only when participants are aware of the contingencies, but we suggest that this is because (a) the contingencies typically used in these studies are salient and easy to detect consciously, and (b) the performance-based measures of awareness (so-called “objective measures”), typically used in these studies, tend to overestimate the amount of available conscious knowledge. We report a preregistered study in which participants (N = 217) were exposed to letter strings generated from two complex artificial grammars that are difficult to decipher consciously. Stimuli from one grammar were paired with positive USs, while those from the other grammar were paired with negative USs. Subsequently, participants evaluated new, previously-unseen, stimuli from the positively-conditioned grammar more positively than new stimuli from the negatively-conditioned grammar. Importantly, this effect appeared even when trial-by-trial subjective measures indicated lack of relevant conscious knowledge. We provide evidence for the generalization of EC effects even without subjective awareness of the structures that enable those generalizations.

scholarly journals No Evaluative Conditioning Effects with Briefly Presented Stimuli

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Heycke ◽  
Christoph Stahl
Keyword(s):  
Conditioned Stimulus ◽  
Unconditioned Stimulus ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Neutral Stimulus ◽  
Evaluative Conditioning ◽  
Visual Modality ◽  
Contingency Awareness ◽  
The Us

Evaluative Conditioning (EC) changes the preference towards a formerly neutral stimulus (Conditioned Stimulus; CS), by pairing it with a valent stimulus (Unconditioned Stimulus; US), in the direction of the valence of the US. When the CS is presented subliminally (i.e., too briefly to be consciously perceived), contingency awareness between CS and US can be ruled out. Hence, EC effects with subliminal CSs would support theories claiming that contingency awareness is not necessary for EC effects to occur. Recent studies reported the absence of EC with briefly presented CSs when both CS and US were presented in the visual modality, even though the CSs were identified at above-chance levels. Challenging this finding, Heycke and colleagues (2017) found some evidence for an EC effect with briefly presented visual stimuli in a cross-modal paradigm with auditory USs, but that study did not assess CS visibility. The present study attempted to replicate this EC effect with different stimuli and a CS visibility check. Overall EC for briefly presented stimuli was absent, and results from the visibility check show that an EC effect with briefly presented CSs was only found, when the CSs were identified at above-chance levels.

Exploring the Contextual Renewal of Conditioned Attitudes After Counterconditioning

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-323
Author(s):  
Bertram Gawronski ◽  
Skylar M. Brannon ◽  
Katarina Blask ◽  
Eva Walther
Keyword(s):  
Conditioned Stimulus ◽  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
Unconditioned Stimulus ◽  
Attitude Change ◽  
Evaluative Conditioning ◽  
Verbal Information

Research on contextualized attitude change suggests that, even when coun-terattitudinal information effectively influences evaluations in the context in which this information was learned, previously formed attitudes sometimes continue to determine evaluations in any other context (contextual renewal). Expanding on evidence for contextual renewal in attitude change based on verbal information, five experiments tested the emergence of contextual renewal in evaluative conditioning, involving pairings of a conditioned stimulus with a valenced unconditioned stimulus. Counter to the notion of contextual renewal, counterconditioning changed initially conditioned attitudes to the same extent irrespective of the context. Verbal information presented with the same procedural parameters produced contextual renewal effects only when evaluations were not measured between the formation of initial attitudes and the learning of counterattitudinal information. The results suggest two previously unidentified boundary conditions of contextualized attitude change that need to be reconciled with extant theories of evaluative learning.

Propositional Versus Dual-Process Accounts of Evaluative Conditioning

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoqing Hu ◽  
Bertram Gawronski ◽  
Robert Balas
Keyword(s):  
Conditioned Stimulus ◽  
Unconditioned Stimulus ◽  
Evaluative Conditioning ◽  
Dual Process ◽  
Relational Information ◽  
The Us

Evaluative conditioning (EC) is defined as the change in the evaluation of a conditioned stimulus (CS) due to its pairing with a valenced unconditioned stimulus (US). According to propositional accounts, EC effects should be qualified by the relation between the CS and the US. Dual-process accounts suggest that relational information should qualify EC effects on explicit evaluations, whereas implicit evaluations should reflect the frequency of CS–US co-occurrences. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that, when relational information was provided before the encoding of CS–US pairings, it moderated EC effects on explicit, but not implicit, evaluations. In Experiment 3, relational information moderated EC effects on both explicit and implicit evaluations when it was provided simultaneously with CS–US pairings. Frequency of CS–US pairings had no effect on implicit evaluations. Although the results can be reconciled with both propositional and dual-process accounts, they are more parsimoniously explained by propositional accounts.

Propositional Versus Dual-Process Accounts of Evaluative Conditioning

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 858-866 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoqing Hu ◽  
Bertram Gawronski ◽  
Robert Balas
Keyword(s):  
Conditioned Stimulus ◽  
Unconditioned Stimulus ◽  
Relative Effectiveness ◽  
Evaluative Conditioning ◽  
Dual Process ◽  
Functional Equivalence ◽  
Single Process ◽  
Implicit And Explicit

Evaluative conditioning (EC) is defined as the change in the evaluation of a conditioned stimulus (CS) due to its pairing with a valenced unconditioned stimulus (US). Expanding on the debate between dual-process and propositional accounts, two studies investigated the relative effectiveness of counter-conditioning and counter-instructions in reversing EC effects on implicit and explicit evaluations. After conditioned evaluations were acquired via CS-US pairings, participants were either (1) presented with repeated CS-US pairings of the opposite valence or (2) given instructions that the CSs will be paired with USs of the opposite valence. Although both procedures reversed previously conditioned explicit evaluations, only directly experienced CS-US pairings reversed previously conditioned implicit evaluations. The findings question the functional equivalence of counter-conditioning and counter-instructions hypothesized by single-process propositional accounts. Yet, they support dual-process accounts, suggesting that associative and propositional processes jointly contribute to EC effects.

Ring My Bell

2019 ◽  
pp. 303-315
Author(s):  
Patrik N. Juslin
Keyword(s):  
Conditioned Stimulus ◽  
Unconditioned Stimulus ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Special Form ◽  
Affective State ◽  
Evaluative Conditioning ◽  
The Us ◽  
Psychological Mechanism ◽  
Classic Conditioning

This chapter considers the psychological mechanism known as evaluative conditioning. Evaluative conditioning is defined as a process whereby an emotion is evoked by a piece of music just because this stimulus has been paired, repeatedly, with other positive or negative stimuli, which are not necessarily logically connected to the music in any way. It is a special form of classic conditioning that involves the pairing of an initially neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with an affectively valenced, unconditioned stimulus (US). After the pairing, the CS acquires the ability to arouse the same affective state as the US in the perceiver. The remainder of the chapter discusses the characteristics of evaluative conditioning, the emotions that conditioning might arouse, and the role of conditioning in everyday life.

Differential Acquisition, Extinction, and Reinstatement of Conditioned Suppression in Mice

2007 ◽  
Vol 60 (10) ◽  
pp. 1313-1320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trinette Dirikx ◽  
Tom Beckers ◽  
Clara Muyls ◽  
Paul Eelen ◽  
Debora Vansteenwegen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conditioned Stimulus ◽  
Unconditioned Stimulus ◽  
Conditioned Suppression ◽  
Conditioned Fear ◽  
The Other ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Selective Suppression ◽  
Differential Acquisition ◽  
Group A ◽  
Conditioned Responding

In animals, the reappearance of conditioned fear responses after extinction has been primarily investigated using single-cue conditioning paradigms. However, a differential paradigm can overcome several of the disadvantages associated with a single-cue procedure. In the present study, the reinstatement phenomenon was assessed in mice using a differential conditioned suppression paradigm. In a first phase, one conditioned stimulus (CS +) was consistently paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US; footshock) while another CS (CS–) was not, resulting in selective suppression of previously trained instrumental behaviour during the CS +. After the extinction phase, half of the animals (reinstatement group) were presented with unsignalled USs, while the other half were not (control group). A differential return of conditioned responding was observed in the reinstatement group, but not in the control group. The implications of these findings for future conditioning research are discussed.

Eye Preference for Emotional Stimuli in Sichuan Snub-Nosed Monkeys

2020 ◽  
Vol 91 (6) ◽  
pp. 630-642
Author(s):  
Dapeng Zhao ◽  
Yuan Wang ◽  
Baoguo Li
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Valence ◽  
Neutral Stimulus ◽  
The Other ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Emotional Stimuli ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Eye Preference ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Preferred Stimulus

This study presents the first evidence of effects of applying both positive and negative stimuli simultaneously on visual laterality in Old World monkeys. Thirteen captive individuals of Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys (<i>Rhinopithecus roxellana</i>) were chosen as focal subjects in the monocular box task. In total, 4 emotional categories (the preferred, the novel, the neutral, and the fearful) of visual stimuli were applied, and eye preference was recorded when individuals looked at each stimulus through an observation hole in the box. We found evidence of visual laterality at the individual level, but not at the group level for each stimulus. For the preferred stimulus, 9 individuals showed significant right-eye preference while 4 individuals showed significant left-eye preference. For the other 3 stimuli, 7 individuals displayed significant right-eye preference while 6 individuals displayed significant left-eye preference. Totally, 11 of 13 individuals showed consistency in the visual laterality direction (7 right-eye preference and 4 left-eye preference) across the 4 stimuli. The remaining 2 individuals displayed right-eye preference for the preferred stimulus while they showed left-eye preference for the other 3 stimuli. There was no significant difference among various stimuli regarding the direction of visual laterality. However, there was a significant difference in the strength of visual laterality among various stimulus categories. The strength of visual laterality for the preferred stimulus was significantly lower than that for the other 3 stimuli. The strength of visual laterality for the fearful stimulus was significantly higher than that for the novel stimulus and the neutral stimulus. Furthermore, the looking duration for the preferred stimulus was significantly higher than that for the other 3 stimuli. The looking duration for the novel stimulus was significantly higher than that for the neutral stimulus and the fearful stimulus. The looking duration for the neutral stimulus was significantly higher than that for the fearful stimulus. Our findings indicate emotional valence of stimuli significantly influence eye looking duration and the strength of visual laterality but not for the direction of visual laterality in this species. Taken together, emotional valence of stimuli plays an important role in the eye use of <i>R. roxellana</i>.

scholarly journals Subliminal influence on preferences? A test of evaluative conditioning for brief visual conditioned stimuli using auditory unconditioned stimuli

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (9) ◽  
pp. 160935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Heycke ◽  
Frederik Aust ◽  
Christoph Stahl
Keyword(s):  
Conditioned Stimulus ◽  
Unconditioned Stimulus ◽  
Evaluative Conditioning ◽  
Dual Process ◽  
Dual Process Theory ◽  
Process Theory ◽  
Conditioned Stimuli ◽  
Contingency Awareness ◽  
Single Process ◽  
Theory Versus

In the field of evaluative conditioning (EC), two opposing theories—propositional single-process theory versus dual-process theory—are currently being discussed in the literature. The present set of experiments test a crucial prediction to adjudicate between these two theories: Dual-process theory postulates that evaluative conditioning can occur without awareness of the contingency between conditioned stimulus (CS) and unconditioned stimulus (US); in contrast, single-process propositional theory postulates that EC requires CS-US contingency awareness. In a set of three studies, we experimentally manipulate contingency awareness by presenting the CSs very briefly, thereby rendering it unlikely to be processed consciously. We address potential issues with previous studies on EC with subliminal or near-threshold CSs that limited their interpretation. Across two experiments, we consistently found an EC effect for CSs presented for 1000 ms and consistently failed to find an EC effect for briefly presented CSs. In a third pre-registered experiment, we again found evidence for an EC effect with CSs presented for 1000 ms, and we found some indication for an EC effect for CSs presented for 20 ms.

scholarly journals Does the surveillance paradigm provide evidence for unconscious evaluative conditioning? A Bayesian perspective

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedek Kurdi ◽  
Melissa Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Conditioned Stimulus ◽  
Unconditioned Stimulus ◽  
Convincing Evidence ◽  
Evaluative Conditioning ◽  
Informative Priors ◽  
Exclusion Criteria

In evaluative conditioning (EC), a neutral conditioned stimulus acquires the valence of an intrinsically valenced unconditioned stimulus as a result of repeated pairings between the two. Evidence for EC in the absence of awareness of the pairings has been provided using the surveillance paradigm (Olson &amp; Fazio, 2001). In this commentary, we report a Bayesian reanalysis of data from a multi-lab replication of this paradigm (Moran et al., 2020). Unlike the original frequentist analyses, we conclude that the replication does not provide convincing evidence in favor of unconscious EC under any of the exclusion criteria, including the ones originally used by Olson and Fazio (2001). Moreover, when informative priors relying on the totality of meta-analytic evidence are used, three of four analyses provide evidence against an effect. This commentary highlights the benefits of using Bayesian analytic approaches and cautions against inferring the presence of unconscious EC in the surveillance paradigm.

Olfactory Sensitivity in the Domestic Pigeon

1957 ◽  
Vol 188 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen D. Calvin ◽  
Clarence M. Williams ◽  
Nelson Westmoreland
Keyword(s):  
Conditioned Stimulus ◽  
Unconditioned Stimulus ◽  
Electric Shock ◽  
Instrumental Conditioning ◽  
The Other ◽  
Olfactory Sensitivity ◽  
Conditioning Procedure ◽  
Domestic Pigeon

Olfactory sensitivity in the domestic pigeon was investigated using an instrumental conditioning procedure. The pigeons were trained to move from one section of a compartment to another by using light and odor paired together as the conditioned stimulus with electric shock acting as the unconditioned stimulus. After the pigeons had learned to cross from one section to the other at the presentation of the light and odor together, the light was removed and only the odor presented. The pigeons were unable to learn to use odor acting alone as a cue; thus these findings gave no indication of highly developed olfactory sensitivity in the domestic pigeon.

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