Work

Acquisition of Differential Delay Eyeblink Classical Conditioning Is Independent of Awareness.

Year: 2005

Type: article

Abstract: There has been debate about whether differential delay eyeblink conditioning can be acquired without awareness of the stimulus contingencies. In 4 experiments, the authors reexamined this question. Older participants were tested with a tone and white noise (Experiment 1) or with 2 tones (Experiment 2). In addition, younger participants were tested with 2 tones (Experiment 3) or with 2 tones plus the parameters from an earlier study that had reported a relationship between conditioning and awareness (Experiment 4). Participants who were designated aware of the stimulus contingencies and participants who were designated unaware exhibited equivalent levels of differential eyeblink conditioning. Awareness of stimulus contingencies is not required for differential delay eyeblink conditioning when simple conditioned stimuli are used.

Source: Behavioral Neuroscience

DOI: 10.1037/0735-7044.119.1.78

Authors: Christine N. Smith, Robert E. Clark, Joseph R. Manns, Larry R. Squire

Institution: University of California San Diego

Language: English

Topic: Memory and Neural Mechanisms

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute of Mental Health

Awards: MEMORY AS AFFECTED BY INJURY DISEASE AND ECT, Training Program in Cognitive Neuroscience, Memory Systems of the Brain, G831452733