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Second-order backward blocking and unovershadowing in human causal learning.

Second-order backward blocking and unovershadowing in human causal learning.
Second-order backward blocking and unovershadowing in human causal learning.
De Houwer and Beckers (in press, Experiment 1) recently demonstrated that ratings about the relation between a target cue T2 and an outcome are higher when training involves CT1+ and T1T2+ followed by C+ trials than when training involves CT1+ and T1T2+ followed by C- trials. We replicated this study but now explicitly asked participants to rate the causal status of the cues both before and after the C+ or C- trials. Results showed that causal ratings for T2 were significantly higher after C+ trials than before C+ trials and that T2 received significantly lower ratings after C- trials than before C- trials. The results thus provide the first evidence for higher-order unovershadowing and higher-order backward blocking. In addition, the ratings for T1 revealed that first-order backward blocking (i.e., decrease in ratings for T1 as the result of C+ trials) was stronger than first-order unovershadowing (i.e., increase in ratings for T1 as the result of C- trials).
1618-3169
27-33
De Houwer, J.
570b3809-4982-4a8f-8f72-77fc6b4ff09e
Beckers, T.
19969b0e-7406-4a37-8ac6-60506f28f11a
De Houwer, J.
570b3809-4982-4a8f-8f72-77fc6b4ff09e
Beckers, T.
19969b0e-7406-4a37-8ac6-60506f28f11a

De Houwer, J. and Beckers, T. (2002) Second-order backward blocking and unovershadowing in human causal learning. Experimental Psychology, 49 (1), 27-33.

Record type: Article

Abstract

De Houwer and Beckers (in press, Experiment 1) recently demonstrated that ratings about the relation between a target cue T2 and an outcome are higher when training involves CT1+ and T1T2+ followed by C+ trials than when training involves CT1+ and T1T2+ followed by C- trials. We replicated this study but now explicitly asked participants to rate the causal status of the cues both before and after the C+ or C- trials. Results showed that causal ratings for T2 were significantly higher after C+ trials than before C+ trials and that T2 received significantly lower ratings after C- trials than before C- trials. The results thus provide the first evidence for higher-order unovershadowing and higher-order backward blocking. In addition, the ratings for T1 revealed that first-order backward blocking (i.e., decrease in ratings for T1 as the result of C+ trials) was stronger than first-order unovershadowing (i.e., increase in ratings for T1 as the result of C- trials).

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Published date: 2002

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 55493
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/55493
ISSN: 1618-3169
PURE UUID: 1dbdf8cc-4d1a-4b8f-a2b3-96dcb90c3710

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Date deposited: 01 Aug 2008
Last modified: 08 Jan 2022 07:07

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Contributors

Author: J. De Houwer
Author: T. Beckers

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