The ontogeny of human learning in delay, long-delay, and trace eyeblink conditioning.
Journal Article (Clinical Trial;Journal Article)
The ontogeny of associative learning in delay (750-ms conditional stimulus [CS], 650-ms interstimulus interval [ISI]), long-delay (1,350-ms CS, 1,250-ms ISI), and trace (750-ms CS, 500-ms trace interval, 1,250-ms ISI) eyeblink conditioning was examined in 5-month-old human infants and adults. Infants and adults showed different acquisition rates but reached equivalent asymptotes of conditional responses (CRs) in standard delay conditioning. In long-delay and trace conditions, infants exhibited less robust conditioning than adults and minimal ability to appropriately time CRs. During infancy, the ISI, rather than the conditioning procedure, predicted rate and effectiveness of CRs. These findings suggest that higher order cognitive abilities begin emerging early in development. Across ontogeny, however, there are changes in the limits and parameters that support associative learning.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Herbert, JS; Eckerman, CO; Stanton, ME
Published Date
- December 2003
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 117 / 6
Start / End Page
- 1196 - 1210
PubMed ID
- 14674840
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1939-0084
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0735-7044
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1037/0735-7044.117.6.1196
Language
- eng