Lecture 12 - Extinction and Inhibition

Question 1

What are the two tests for inhibition?

Answer 1

1. Summation test - S reduces responding to another CS+
2. Retardation test - subsequent learning of an S-US is impaired; takes a very long time to learn those previous negative relationships are now positive ones (going from thinking that they are inhibitors to encouraging a response); they are not just starting from a neutral position.

Question 2

What is conditioned inhibition?

Answer 2

Learning that a CS prevents the reward; therefore there is not point responding to it.

Negative discrepancy - the stimulus becomes an inhibitory because the associative strength becomes negative.

Question 3

Two different types of associative connection:

Answer 3

Excitatory link primes memory of the US.

Inhibitory link suppresses memory of US.