Effect of signaling extra unconditioned stimuli on autoshaping

Abstract

Acquisition to a target conditioned stimulus (CS) is prevented when extra, unsignaled unconditioned stimuli (USs) are presented with sufficient frequency to remove contingency between target CS and US. Acquisition occurs, however, when the extra USs are signaled by another CS. According to the Rescorla-Wagner theory, signaling reduces contextual conditioning, which otherwise prevents acquisition. Results of Experiment 1 led to the rejection of a rival explanation derived from scalar expectancy theory by showing that acquisition does not occur when only half of the extra USs are signaled. The results of Experiment 2 were, however, contrary to the Rescorla-Wagner theory because they showed equivalent acquisition when the stimulus used to signal the extra USs was also present concurrently with the target CS. Signaling may exert its effect by converting the intertriai interval to CS−.