Latent Inhibition as a Function of Modulation of Attention to the Preexposed Irrelevant Stimulus

Hedva Braunstein-Bercovitz*, R. E. Lubow

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to test predictions of Conditioned Attention Theory (CAT; Lubow, 1989) in regard to latent inhibition (LI) in humans. In Experiment 1, LI was assessed as a function of relative positions of the preexposed stimulus and masking task stimulus (peripheral vs central). In Experiment 2, LI was assessed as a function of attention-attraction to the preexposed stimulus (no-attraction vs attraction). LI was obtained when attention to the preexposed stimulus was allowed to decline (Experiment 1, peripheral condition; Experiment 2, no-attraction condition), but was precluded when attention to the preexposed stimulus was either maintained or reevoked (Experiment 1, central condition; Experiment 2, attraction condition). The conditions for maintaining and disrupting LI appear to be similar in animals and humans. Implications for understanding attenuated LI in schizophrenics are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)261-279
Number of pages19
JournalLearning and Motivation
Volume29
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1998

Funding

FundersFunder number
Israel Foundation Trustees

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