Taste aversion learning with a delayed shock US: Implications for the "generality of the laws of learning."

Abstract

When saccharin or a light-tone compound was followed by electric shock, aa acquired aversion could be demonstrated to either cue. However, the optimal interval between conditioned stimulus (CS) and unconditioned stimulus (US) was strikingly different in the 2 cases: with a lighl^tone compound substantial aversion developed at 5 sec., and none at 210 sec.; with saccharin, substantial aversion developed at the longer interval, and none at 5 sec. This interaction is consistent with available data showing that exteroceptive but not gustatory cues are readily made aversive when paired with contiguous electric shook, while gustatory but not exteroceptive cues are readily made aversive when followed by delayed toxicosis. At the same time, it challenges the conventional assumption that such findings are due to a differential "belongingness" of the respective CSs and USs. A tentative account stressing the relative persistence of the stimulus trace generated by different CSs is offered, and its implications concerning the "generality of the laws of learning" are discussed.

Integrating niche-related and general process approaches in the study of learning

“…In the 1970s and 1980s similar arguments were made about the ability of general process laws to account for niche-related learning phenomena such as taste aversion learning (e.g. Logue, 1979;Krane and Wagner, 1975).…”

Acquisition of rotation-induced taste aversion as a function of drinking-treatment delay

“…Krane and Wagner (1975) have recently presented an intriguing reinterPretation of taste aversion learning. Since the duration of the UCS is suggested as one of the critical variables, employment of rotation or hypothermia may prove useful in evaluating the model.…”

Evaluating conditioning of related and unrelated stimuli using a compound test

“…For instance, in Experiment 1, the stimuli differed not only in how related they are but also in their likely persistence after presentation. As Krane and Wagner (1975) noted, a flavor persists for a long time, whereas an auditory stimulus is less likely to leave a persisting aftereffect. This may have consequences for which US would more successfully condition each stimulus, purely on the basis of the temporal characteristics of that US.…”