The effect of prior experience on a current learning task is of the utmost relevance to theories of learning. In special cases, prior experience may even prevent subsequent learning. These cases can generally be thought of as instances of the blocking phenomenon (e.g., Kamin, 1969; Wagner, Logan, Haberlandt, and Price, 1968). Specifically, if a stimulus A is paired with a reinforcer so that a response comes under the control of that stimulus, then when a novel stimulus B is simultaneously compounded with A and also paired with the reinforcer, stimulus B does not acquire control over the response, as measured by presentation of B alone in extinction. Stimulus A is said to "block" the establishment of stimulus control by B.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UMASS/oai:scholarworks.umass.edu:theses-3142 |
| Date | 01 January 1980 |
| Creators | Stickney, Kenneth John |
| Publisher | ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst |
| Source Sets | University of Massachusetts, Amherst |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014 |
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