Discriminability and stimulus generalization.

Guttman, Norman; Kalish, Harry I.

doi:10.1037/h0046219

Cited by 588 publications

(491 citation statements)

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“…Classic studies of stimulus generalization in pigeons, for instance, revealed graded responses to unreinforced colors as a function of similarity to the CS+ along the color spectrum (Guttman & Kalish, 1956). The shape of the generalization gradient along neutral sensory dimensions like color, tone frequency, or shape tends to be symmetrical and peak at the trained stimulus (CS+).…”

Section: Nonperceptual-based Fear Generalizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fear Generalization in Humans: Systematic Review and Implications for Anxiety Disorder Research

et al. 2015

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Fear generalization, in which conditioned fear responses generalize or spread to related stimuli, is a defining feature of anxiety disorders. The behavioral consequences of maladaptive fear generalization are that aversive experiences with one stimulus or event may lead one to regard other cues or situations as potential threats that should be avoided, despite variations in physical form. Theoretical and empirical interest in the generalization of conditioned learning dates to the earliest research on classical conditioning in nonhumans. Recently, there has been renewed focus on fear generalization in humans due in part to its explanatory power in characterizing disorders of fear and anxiety. Here, we review existing behavioral and neuroimaging empirical research on the perceptual and non-perceptual (conceptual and symbolic) generalization of fear and avoidance in healthy humans and patients with anxiety disorders. The clinical implications of this research for understanding the etiology and treatment of anxiety is considered and directions for future research described.

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Section: Nonperceptual-based Fear Generalizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fear Generalization in Humans: Systematic Review and Implications for Anxiety Disorder Research

et al. 2015

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“…Shepard (1965) scaled the classic data of Guttman and Kalish (1956) on generalization across wavelengths of light in pigeons. The data consisted of several gradients with S + at different wavelengths.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial peak shift and generalization in pigeons.

Chen

Johnston

1997

Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes

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How pigeons generalize across spatial locations was examined in the 4 experiments reported in this article. During training, a square was presented at a fixed height at 1 of 2 horizontal locations on a monitor screen. One location (S +) signaled reward, whereas the other one (S -) signaled no reward. The birds were then tested occasionally with a range of locations. After training with S+ only, the generalization gradient peaked at S + and was approximately Gaussian in shape. After training with equal numbers of S + and S-trials, response rates were higher on the S + side of the distribution. This asymmetry diminished over testing. When the S + and S-were close together, the peak of responding was shifted on initial generalization tests. Generalization gradients along the orthogonal vertical dimension were approximately exponential in shape. This is the first demonstration of generalization and peak shift in the spatial domain.An important task for the experimental analysis of behavior has been to understand how stimuli present when behavior is reinforced to gain control over the behavior. Stimulus generalization--cesponding in a similar fashion despite changes in properties of a stimulus--and discriminationmresponding differently when a stimulus property is changed--are opposite ends of a continuum of stimulus control. Stimulus control typically is indexed by decremental stimulus generalization gradients, in which increasing changes in a stimulus value lead to increasing changes in responding.Guttman and Kalish (1956) conducted a now-classic study of stimulus generalization in pigeons. They reinforced pigeons on an intermittent schedule for pecking a key in the presence of a monochromatic light source. Different groups of pigeons were trained with different spectral stimuli. After a steady rate of responding emerged, the pigeons were tested in extinction with a range of spectral wavelengths on either side of, and including, the training value. Plots of responses as a function of spectral wavelength showed orderly generalization gradients, with the highest rate of responding at the Ken Cheng, School of Behavioural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; Marcia L. Spetch and Michael Johnston, Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.This research was supported by grants from Macquade University and the Australian Research Council and a Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada research grant. Some of these data were collected as part of the thesis requirement for an honors bachelor of science degree in psychology by Michael Johnston.We thank D. Kelly and S. Reid for assistance in conducting the research.Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed either to Ken Cbeng, School of Behavioural Sciences, Macquade University, Sydney NSW 2109 Australia, or to Marcia L. Spetch, Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9. Electronic mail may be sent via Intemet either to kcbeng@bnnyip.bhs.mq.edu.au or to mspetch@psy...

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“…Terrace, 1966;Mackintosh, 1974;Pearce et al, 1997). One of the fundamental observations on how stimuli control response is referred to as stimulus generalization in psychology (Guttman & Kalish, 1956;Mackintosh, 1974). This refers to the fact that an organism responds in similar ways to many variants of stimulation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Artificial neural networks as models of stimulus control

Ghirlanda

Enquist

1998

Animal Behaviour

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We evaluate the ability of artificial neural network models (multi-layer perceptrons) to predict stimulus-response relationships. A variety of empirical results are considered, such as generalization, peak-shift (supernormality) and stimulus intensity effects. The networks were trained on the same tasks as the animals in the considered experiments. The subsequent generalization tests on the networks showed that the model replicates correctly the empirical results. It is concluded that these models are valuable tools in the study of animal behaviour.

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Discriminability and stimulus generalization.

Cited by 588 publications

References 13 publications

Fear Generalization in Humans: Systematic Review and Implications for Anxiety Disorder Research

Fear Generalization in Humans: Systematic Review and Implications for Anxiety Disorder Research

Spatial peak shift and generalization in pigeons.

Artificial neural networks as models of stimulus control

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