Melchers Klaus G, Lachnit Harald, Shanks David R
Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
Q J Exp Psychol B. 2004 Jan;57(1):25-53. doi: 10.1080/02724990344000042.
In three human causal learning experiments we investigated the role of within-compound associations in learning about absent cues versus learning about present cues. Different theoretical approaches agree that within-compound associations are essential for learning about absent cues-that is, for retrospective revaluation. They differ, however, with regard to the role of within-compound associations for learning about present cues-that is, for direct learning. A memory test was used to assess within-compound associations. Experiment 1 used a blocking/release from overshadowing design, Experiment 2 used a conditioned inhibition design, and Experiment 3 used a higher-order cue selection design. In all experiments, first-order retrospective revaluation was significantly correlated with within-compound associations, but no significant correlations were found for the direct learning conditions. In addition to this, second-order retrospective revaluation in Experiment 3 was positively correlated to joint knowledge of first-order and second-order within-compound associations. Furthermore, cue selection effects were stronger for direct learning conditions than for retrospective learning conditions. These results are at variance with the comparator hypothesis but are in agreement with a modified associative theory and with the suggestion that retrospective revaluation might be due to rehearsal processes.
在三项人类因果学习实验中，我们研究了复合刺激内部关联在关于缺失线索的学习与关于存在线索的学习中所起的作用。不同的理论方法都认同复合刺激内部关联对于关于缺失线索的学习（即回溯性重评估）至关重要。然而，它们在复合刺激内部关联对于关于存在线索的学习（即直接学习）所起的作用方面存在分歧。我们使用记忆测试来评估复合刺激内部关联。实验1采用了遮蔽/解除遮蔽设计，实验2采用了条件性抑制设计，实验3采用了高阶线索选择设计。在所有实验中，一阶回溯性重评估与复合刺激内部关联显著相关，但在直接学习条件下未发现显著相关性。除此之外，实验3中的二阶回溯性重评估与一阶和二阶复合刺激内部关联的联合知识呈正相关。此外，直接学习条件下的线索选择效应比回溯性学习条件下更强。这些结果与比较器假说不一致，但与一种修正的联想理论以及回溯性重评估可能归因于复述过程的观点相符。
