Sampling capacity underlies individual differences in human associative learning.

Byrom, Nicola; Murphy, Robin A.

doi:10.1037/xan0000012

Cited by 13 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…As previous work showed that individuals differ in their tendency to focus on global information vs. local details (Navon, 1977 ), it was argued that this variation might be related to variation in learning non-linear discriminations. In line with this idea, Byrom and Murphy ( 2014 ) found that people who have a tendency to focus on global aspects rather than local stimulus details (as measured with a Navon task, see below) discriminated better between BC and ABC in a modified negative patterning task (A+/BC+/ABC−). Based on this finding, in the current experiment, we investigated whether people with a more global processing style are also better in discriminating negative and positive patterning problems than people with a more local processing style.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…The stimuli used in this task closely resembled the stimuli used by Byrom and Murphy ( 2014 ). All stimuli consisted of large letters (S or H) composed of smaller letters (S or H), yielding four different stimuli (see Figure 1 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The procedure used in this task resembled the procedure used by Byrom and Murphy ( 2014 ) as closely as possible. Participants were informed that they would be presented with large letters (S or H) composed out of smaller letters (S or H) and that, in successive trial blocks, they would have to identify either the large (global block) or the small letter (local block) by pressing the S or H key as quickly as possible.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Individual Difference Factors in the Learning and Transfer of Patterning Discriminations

et al. 2017

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In an associative patterning task, some people seem to focus more on learning an overarching rule, whereas others seem to focus on acquiring specific relations between the stimuli and outcomes involved. Building on earlier work, we further investigated which cognitive factors are involved in feature- vs. rule-based learning and generalization. To this end, we measured participants' tendency to generalize according to the rule of opposites after training on negative and positive patterning problems (i.e., A+/B+/AB− and C−/D−/CD+), their tendency to attend to global aspects or local details of stimuli, their systemizing disposition and their score on the Raven intelligence test. Our results suggest that while intelligence might have some influence on patterning learning and generalization, visual processing style and systemizing disposition do not. We discuss our findings in the light of previous observations on patterning.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Individual Difference Factors in the Learning and Transfer of Patterning Discriminations

et al. 2017

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“…A number of associative learning models have attempted to explain the mechanisms by which generalisation across contexts takes place [Atkinson & Estes, 1962;Pearce, 1987;Rescorla & Wagner, 1972]. Most of these theories assume that generalisation occurs as a function of 'stimulus similarity' [Byrom & Murphy, 2014]; thus, the higher number of features shared across the original and new contexts, the more readily generalisation will occur [McClelland & Rumelhart, 1985;Pearce, 1987;Rescorla & Wagner, 1972].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond intervention into daily life: A systematic review of generalisation following social communication interventions for young children with autism

et al. 2020

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Researchers have generally considered autistic individuals to have difficulties generalising learned skills across novel contexts. Successful generalisation is necessary for an intervention to have benefits in everyday life beyond the original learning environment. We conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials of early social communication interventions for children with autism in order to explore generalisation and its measurement. We identified nine RCTs that provided evidence of initial target learning and measured generalisation, of which eight demonstrated at least some successful generalisation across people, settings, and/or activities. The findings did not support the widely reported generalisation ‘difficulties’ associated with autism. However, generalisation was not consistent across all skills within studies, and one study found no generalisation despite evidence for initial target learning within the intervention context. In general, there are few methodologically sound social communication intervention studies exploring generalisation in autism and no consensus on how it should be measured. In particular, failure to demonstrate initial learning of target skills within the intervention setting and an absence of formal mediation analyses of the hypothesised mechanisms limit current research. We outline a framework within which measurement of generalisation can be considered for use in future trials. To maximise the effectiveness of interventions, the field needs to gain a better understanding of the nature of generalisation among autistic individuals and what additional strategies may further enhance learning. Autism Res 2020, 13: 506–522. © 2020 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary It is generally considered that autistic individuals experience difficulties applying things they have learned in one context into different settings (e.g. from school to home). This is important to consider for intervention studies. Our review does not support a complete lack of generalisation but instead suggests that after early social communication intervention, autistic children can transfer some skills to new contexts. Overall, there is limited research in this area and further work is needed.

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“…Current studies of human associative learning suggest that sampling global configurations of stimuli influences whether configural or elemental processing are adopted in learning (Byrom & Murphy, 2014. When current learning fits with prior beliefs about the X-outcome relationship, it can enhance a narrow attentional scope focused on local details of the compound cue AX rather than the goal configuration.…”

Section: Prior Beliefs Narrowing Attentional Scopementioning

confidence: 99%

Prior beliefs influence symmetrical or asymmetrical generalizations in human causal learning

2017

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The generalization decrement between element A and compound AX has shown both symmetrical (Thorwart & Lachnit, 2009) and asymmetrical (Glautier, 2004) patterns in human contingency learning. In a series of experiments we examined the hypothesis that prior beliefs about the relationship between a distinctive element X and an outcome are important for determining the different generalization patterns. Participants learned which given enterobacteria caused a negative or a positive effect on gastrointestinal conditions. Subsequently, they were asked to evaluate learned cues and novel cues in which distinctive elements were added to or removed from the enterobacteria. The results generally demonstrated that relatedness between the elements and outcomes, such as negative features combined with a negative outcome or positive features combined with a positive outcome, resulted in asymmetrical generalization patterns. By contrast, unrelated combinations, such as positive features and a negative outcome, produced symmetrical patterns of generalization. Configural and elemental models of stimulus generalization are discussed.

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Sampling capacity underlies individual differences in human associative learning.

Cited by 13 publications

References 67 publications

Individual Difference Factors in the Learning and Transfer of Patterning Discriminations

Individual Difference Factors in the Learning and Transfer of Patterning Discriminations

Beyond intervention into daily life: A systematic review of generalisation following social communication interventions for young children with autism

Prior beliefs influence symmetrical or asymmetrical generalizations in human causal learning

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