Brain Indices of Nonconscious Associative Learning

The effects of supervised learning on event-related potential correlates of music-syntactic processing

“…For example, even if subjects are not aware of a contingency between a conditioned and unconditioned stimulus in an associative learning paradigm, effects of such contingency can be measured in the facial EMG (Bunce et al, 1999). Similarly, it has been argued that amplitudes of the P300 and of later positive potentials can index the acquisition of a conditioned response to subthreshold stimuli, suggesting that associative learning can occur outside of awareness (Wong, Bernat et al, 1997;Wong, Bernat et al, 2004). It has also been argued that probability effects on the amplitude of the P300 are the product of an automatic learning of probabilities and frequencies that occurs even in the absence of voluntary control and conscious awareness (Sommer et al, 1998).…”

Event-related brain correlates of associative learning without awareness

“…Further evidence was obtained recently showing that associative learning outside awareness is reflected in central nervous system activity as measured by ERPs (Wong et al, 1997; see also Bunce et al, 1999). Given the small amplitude of ERP differences elicited by subthreshold stimulus presentations (Bernat et al, 2001a,b), it was important to maximize the differences obtained.…”

Learning related activation of somatosensory cortex by an auditory stimulus recorded with magnetoencephalography

“…In addition, when a conditioned group was compared to a control group of subjects who did not undergo conditioning, the conditioned group showed increases in evoked somatosensory responses following learning, and somatosensory CR topographies differed between groups at 48.8 ms following US omission. Additionally, Wong et al (1997) found a CR that was greater for a visual CS+ compared to a CS−, just prior to the arrival of an electrodermal US. This differentiation was not present during a pre-conditioning phase.…”