Hebbian learning for olfactory sequences

Abstract

The present paper explores the generality of the Hebb repetition effect to the learning of olfactory sequences in order to assess commonality of memory functioning across sensory modalities. Participants completed a serial order reconstruction task comprising sequences of four olfactory stimuli. Following presentation of each sequence, participants were represented with the odours and required to reconstruct their order of presentation. Surreptitious representation of the repeated sequence occurred on every third trial. This order reconstruction task produced a serial position function comprising recency only for both the non-repeated and repeated sequences. Importantly, serial order reconstruction for the repeated odour sequence produced improved performance for that sequence compared to the non-repeated sequences. This observation of a Hebb repetition effect for olfactory sequences further supports the proposition that sequential learning can operate amodally (e.g. Guérard & Tremblay, 2008).

Tactile order memory: evidence for sequence learning phenomena found with other stimulus types

“…The structure of our Hebb repetition learning paradigm is consistent with that reported for a range of previous studies (e.g. Horton et al, 2008;Johnson et al, 2013). A 2x10x6 within-participants design was adopted, where the first factor refers to sequence type Both the filler and Hebb sequences were determined via the random generation of the numbers 1-6 (with these numbers corresponding to the left hand digitus quartus, the left hand digitus thertius, the left hand digitus secondus, the right hand digitus secondus, the right hand digitus thertius, and the right hand digitus quartus, respectively).…”

“…Horton et al, 2008;Johnson et al, 2013). Indeed, the learning gradient for our tactile stimuli (.031) is broadly similar to that reported, for example, with verbal stimuli (=.028, under conditions of full stimulus overlap, Page et al, 2013), unfamiliar-faces (=.034, Horton et al, 2008 and odours (=.024, Johnson et al, 2013).…”

“…Horton, Hay, & Smyth, 2008), the spatial position of dots (e.g. Tremblay & Saint-Aubin, 2009), the spatial position of auditory stimuli (Parmentier, Maybery, Huitson, & Jones, 2008), and odours (Johnson, Cauchi, & Miles, 2013). Taken together, these findings suggest that the repetition learning mechanism is a general characteristic of memory, akin to task-dependent serial position functions (Ward et al, 2005; for discussion see also Hurlstone et al, 2014).…”

Immediate recognition memory for wine

“…One speculative explanation for this observation is that gustatory memory operates qualitatively differently to that of other stimulus modalities. Indeed, previous work from our laboratory (Johnson & Miles, 2009;Johnson, Cauchi & Miles, 2013) has demonstrated that the serial position function for olfactory memory differs to that observed for the visual and auditory domains. These differences might suggest the existence of an olfactory-specific slave system within working memory (Andrade & Donaldson, 2007), and the present data perhaps point towards similar dissociation for gustatory memory.…”

Tactile Ranschburg effects: facilitation and inhibitory repetition effects analogous to verbal memory

“…Farrell & Lewandowsky, 2004;Guérard & Tremblay, 2008). Finally, the Hebb repetition effect, the gradual improvement in order memory following surreptitious representation of a sequence (Hebb, 1961), is present across a range of stimuli types including, for example, unfamiliar faces (Horton, Hay, & Smyth, 2008), the spatial position of dots (Couture & Tremblay, 2006), odours (Johnson, Cauchi, & Miles, 2013), and tactile stimuli (Johnson et al, 2016).…”