Human evaluative conditioning: Order of stimulus presentation

Abstract

Abstract-In an experiment designed to demonstrate evaluative conditioning, subjects were shown 48 pictures of sculptures that they rated on a scale with 21 categories (-10 to +10). Then, the two most liked pictures (L) were paired with pictures from the categories -1, 0, or +1 (N). In contrast to prior experiments, subjects were given either forward conditioning (N-L) or backward conditioning (L-N) trials but not both. Four other neutral stimuli were paired with each other (N-N) and acted as control stimulus pairs. After conditioning, the stimuli were rated a second time. There was a statistically significant difference in evaluative ratings showing a change of the evaluative tone of the previously neutral stimuli in a positive direction only after forward conditioning. This finding is inconsistent with results of prior experiments and challenges the assumption of Martin and Levey (1987) that evaluative conditioning is different from human classical conditioning.

Effects of dietary restraint on flavour-flavour learning

“…Primarily, this is because unlike many other forms of human conditioning (e.g. autonomic conditioning) it is found to occur even when a participant lacks the ability to report the important CS±US relationships during conditioning (Baeyens et al, 1988(Baeyens et al, , 1990bHammerl & Grabitz, 1996Johnsrude et al, 1999). Our results are not inconsistent with this view of EC.…”

I Like It, but Only When I'm Not Sure Why: Evaluative Conditioning and the Awareness Issue

“…In our studies (Hammerl, Bloch, & Silverthorne, 1997;Hammerl & Grabitz, 1993, 1996b, there was always a remarkable number of subjects classified as ''unaware'' of all stimulus contingencies they had experienced (thus, the statistical problem described above does not occur). And they also showed a remarkable EC effect.…”

Evaluative Conditioning Is Pavlovian Conditioning: Issues of Definition, Measurement, and the Theoretical Importance of Contingency Awareness

“…If we look at these studies, with the exception of Hammerl and Grabitz (1993) in which the awareness measure is not reported, an awareness interview has been used. First, participants were asked whether anything in the experiment caught their eye or irritated them and if so, what?…”