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

Full 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).

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: De Houwer, Jan (J); Beckers, Tom (T);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Gent, Belgium. Jan.DeHouwer(-atsign-)rug.ac.be

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Experimental psychology (Exp Psychol), published in Germany. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-; vol 49 (issue 1) : pp 27-33

Dates: Created 2002/04/26; Completed 2002/05/28; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 11975146, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

This article has not been indexed for related articles as yet, however you can still use the live related article search links below.

See 100+ related articles.