Contextual specificity of extinction of delay but not trace eyeblink conditioning in humans

Abstract

Renewal of an extinguished conditioned response has been demonstrated in humans and in animals using various types of procedures, except renewal of motor learning such as eyeblink conditioning. We tested renewal of delay and trace eyeblink conditioning in a virtual environment in an ABA design. Following acquisition in one context (A, e.g., an airport) and extinction in a different context (B, e.g., a city), tests for renewal took place in the acquisition (A) and extinction context (B), in a counterbalanced order. Results showed renewal of the extinguished conditioned response in the delay but not trace condition.

Figure 1.

Percent CR and spontaneous eyeblinks during acquisition and extinction in the delay and trace EBC groups. Error bars are standard errors.

Figure 2.

Percent CR during renewal in the extinction and acquisition contexts in the delay and trace EBC groups. Error bars are standard errors. Results are shown for each trial and for the mean percent CR over the four trials.