The Role of Attention in Animal Learning
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Sch of Psychology
Abstract
Virtually all animals exhibit the basic and important ability to learn that one event signals another. For example, people can learn that big black clouds signal an imminent downpour, and animals can learn about different signals for food and danger. Interestingly, however, simply pairing two events does not always result in learning that one of these events is a signal for the other: learning about the relationship between two events can be hindered - and sometimes prevented altogether - by the mere presence of another environmental event that is more informative. The purpose of the research I propose to conduct is to understand why this happens: why does learning sometimes fail? One reason why an animal may fail to learn about an event is because it has learned to shift its attention away from it. This project will investigate this possibility. One series of experiments will explore whether stimuli which have failed to be learned about consequently command less attention. Another series will explore whether learning about events that occur at the same time result in shifts in attention between events. These experiments will use rats which, for many years, have proved to be an excellent laboratory subject for the study of learning, and which have provided the best data to guide our development of theories of learning. This research is important because learning plays a central role in many of our explanations for how the human brain and mind works. If it is found that learning contributes to shifts in attention then the research will make a significant contribution to our understanding of normal psychological functioning. This research will also be of interest because mental disorders such as schizophrenia are thought to be the consequence of a disorder of attention. As we refine our theoretical understanding of how attention works, then we can better understand, and treat, those affected when it goes wrong. This research will cost £434,562 and will be conducted at the University of Nottingham School of Psychology.
Technical Summary
Studies of conditioning in animals have revealed that learning about a target stimulus is hindered if it is conditioned in conjunction with another stimulus (overshadowing), or if the accompanying stimulus has a history of conditioning itself (blocking). Using an appetitive Pavlovian conditioning procedure with rats, the first series of experiments will examine whether blocking and overshadowing of the target stimulus are a consequence of it being a relatively poor predictor of the outcome, and thus loosing attention (Mackintosh, 1975). If they are then a subsequent test discrimination which is based upon blocked or overshadowed stimuli should be especially difficult to solve, as these stimuli should be ignored. Using a flavour aversion procedure, the second series of experiments will explore the contribution of stimulus predictability to variations in attention in within-event learning. As a consequence of exposure to two similar events (AX and BX) the unique features of these events (e.g. A) become more salient than the common element (X). Experiments will investigate whether the increase in attention to A is a consequence of it being a good predictor of the stimulus that accompanies it (i.e. always X), and the loss in attention to X a result of it being a poor predictor of the stimulus that accompanies it (sometimes A, sometimes B). The final series of experiments will examine whether stimulus selection effects, such as overshadowing and blocking, are present in within-event learning. Some researchers (e.g. Rescorla & Durlach, 1981) have proposed that within-event learning is fundamentally different to standard between-event learning. There is therefore a need to establish whether within-event learning possesses the same properties as between-event learning.
People |
ORCID iD |
Mark Haselgrove (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Dwyer DM
(2011)
Cue interactions in flavor preference learning: a configural analysis.
in Journal of experimental psychology. Animal behavior processes
Esber GR
(2011)
Reconciling the influence of predictiveness and uncertainty on stimulus salience: a model of attention in associative learning.
in Proceedings. Biological sciences
Haselgrove M
(2010)
Two kinds of attention in Pavlovian conditioning: evidence for a hybrid model of learning.
in Journal of experimental psychology. Animal behavior processes
Haselgrove M
(2012)
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning
Haselgrove M
(2010)
Reasoning rats or associative animals? A common-element analysis of the effects of additive and subadditive pretraining on blocking.
in Journal of experimental psychology. Animal behavior processes
Haselgrove M
(2013)
Enhanced unblocking from sustained post-trial surprise.
in Journal of experimental psychology. Animal behavior processes
Jones PM
(2013)
Overshadowing and associability change: examining the contribution of differential stimulus exposure.
in Learning & behavior
Jones PM
(2013)
Blocking and associability change.
in Journal of experimental psychology. Animal behavior processes
Jones PM
(2011)
Overshadowing and associability change.
in Journal of experimental psychology. Animal behavior processes
Le Pelley ME
(2012)
Modeling attention in associative learning: two processes or one?
in Learning & behavior
Whitt E
(2012)
Indirect object recognition: evidence for associative processes in recognition memory.
in Journal of experimental psychology. Animal behavior processes
Description | The experiments within this grant investigated the role of attention in animal learning. The first series of experiments demonstrated that animals (rats) would learn better about a stimulus that had, in the past, been a good predictor of a motivationally significant outcome than a stimulus that was irrelevant, importantly, we also demonstrated that the same species, under identical conditions, would also pay more attention to a stimulus that was an uncertain predictor of an outcome. These results led to to the development of two theoretical models of learning and attention that reconciled the role of predictiveness and uncertainty in associative learning. The second series of studies examined the contribution of learned variations in attention to stimuli that have been limited in their ability to be associated with an outcome as a consequence of being trained in compound with another stimulus. These experiments suggested a role for attention in a cue-competition effect called overshadowing, however the same effect was less prevalent for an effect call blocking - although data were acquired that, indirectly, suggested a role of attention (and uncertainty) in blocking. A third series of experiments examined whether stimulus selection effects (overshadowing and blocking) and stimulus integration effects (within event learning) were present in stimuli that were presented contiguously with the outcome using flavour preference and object recognition procedures. This research did demonstrate such a role, and also initiated a collaboration with the University of Cardiff. |
Exploitation Route | This research has been used and cited by scientists interested in the psychological and neural processes involved in learning and attention. |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Security and Diplomacy |
Description | One way in which this research has benefited the UK outside of academia is through its dissemination to the general public at the British Science festival. I have also served as an expert interviewee for radio and television programmes on applications of animal learning and conditioning. I am currently collaborating with the Ministry of Defence to explore ways in which our understanding of animal learning and attention could be used to support research into animal training methods. |
First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Education,Security and Diplomacy |
Impact Types | Cultural,Policy & public services |
Title | Esber and Haselgrove Model |
Description | A novel model of associative learning and attention that implements prediction error algorithms and feedback to simulate the role of predictability and uncertainty on learning and attention |
Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | N/A |
URL | http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=21653585 |
Description | Collaboration with Dwyer |
Organisation | Cardiff University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Conducted Experiments, mathematical modelling, writing for publication |
Collaborator Contribution | Conducted Experiments, writing for publication |
Impact | Dwyer, D. M., Haselgrove, M., & Jones, P. M. (2011). Cue interactions in flavor preference learning: A configural analysis. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 37, 41-57 |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Collaboration with Esber |
Organisation | University of Maryland |
Department | School of Medicine Maryland |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Writing a paper for publication, conducting experiments |
Collaborator Contribution | Writing a paper for publication, modelling, conducting experiments |
Impact | Haselgrove, M., Esber, G. R., Pearce, J. M., & Jones, P. M. (2010). Two kinds of attention in Pavlovian conditioning: Evidence for a Hybrid Model of Learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 36, 456-470. Esber, G. R. & Haselgrove, M. (2011) Reconciling the influence of predictiveness and uncertainty on stimulus salience: A model of attention in associative learning. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 278, 2553-2561 |
Description | Collaboration with Le Pelley |
Organisation | University of New South Wales |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | writing a paper for publication |
Collaborator Contribution | writing a paper for publication |
Impact | Le Pelley, M. E., Haselgrove, M., & Esber, G. R. (2012). Modelling attention in associative learning: Two processes or one? Learning and Behavior, 40, 292-304 |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | Collaboration with Pearce |
Organisation | Cardiff University |
Department | School of Psychology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Writing for publication, conducting expeirments |
Collaborator Contribution | Writing for publication, conducting expeirments |
Impact | Haselgrove, M., Esber, G. R., Pearce, J. M., & Jones, P. M. (2010). Two kinds of attention in Pavlovian conditioning: Evidence for a Hybrid Model of Learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 36, 456-470. Pearce, J. M., Dopson, J. C., Haselgrove, M., & Esber, G. R (2012). The fate of redundant cues during blocking and a simple discrimination. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 38, 167-179 |
Description | British Science Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Between 100 and 150 people attended my talk on The relevance of Irrelevance; at the BSF in Newcastle, and asked questions, sought advice afterwards. N/A |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |