Human Latent Inhibition: Problems with the Stimulus Exposure Effect

TY - JOUR

T1 - Human Latent Inhibition

T2 - Problems with the Stimulus Exposure Effect

AU - Byrom, N. C.

AU - Msetfi, R. M.

AU - Murphy, R. A.

PY - 2018/3/19

Y1 - 2018/3/19

N2 - Latent inhibition (LI) is a startlingly simple effect in which pre-exposure of a stimulus without consequence retards subsequent responding to a stimulus-consequence relation. The effect was first demonstrated with Pavlovian conditioning in animals and later suggested to be a marker of human psychopathology such as schizophrenia. Individual differences in LI has supported the continued use of animal models to understand human mental health. In this review, we ask whether there is sufficient evidence to support the continued application of LI from animal models to human psychopathology because of the weak evidence for LI in humans. There is considerable variability in the methods used to assess LI, sustaining different theoretical accounts of the effects observed, which differ from the accepted accounts of LI as demonstrated in animals. The review shows that although there have been many experiments testing human LI, none provide the necessary experimental controls to support the conclusion that retarded responding is caused simply by pre-exposure to a stimulus as has been demonstrated with animal models. Establishing this conflict, we set out a framework for future research.

AB - Latent inhibition (LI) is a startlingly simple effect in which pre-exposure of a stimulus without consequence retards subsequent responding to a stimulus-consequence relation. The effect was first demonstrated with Pavlovian conditioning in animals and later suggested to be a marker of human psychopathology such as schizophrenia. Individual differences in LI has supported the continued use of animal models to understand human mental health. In this review, we ask whether there is sufficient evidence to support the continued application of LI from animal models to human psychopathology because of the weak evidence for LI in humans. There is considerable variability in the methods used to assess LI, sustaining different theoretical accounts of the effects observed, which differ from the accepted accounts of LI as demonstrated in animals. The review shows that although there have been many experiments testing human LI, none provide the necessary experimental controls to support the conclusion that retarded responding is caused simply by pre-exposure to a stimulus as has been demonstrated with animal models. Establishing this conflict, we set out a framework for future research.

KW - Latent Inhibition

KW - Associative Learning

KW - Making Tasks

KW - Priming

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044226175&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3758/s13423-018-1455-4

DO - 10.3758/s13423-018-1455-4

M3 - Review article

SN - 1069-9384

SP - 1

EP - 17

JO - Psychonomic Bulletin & Review

JF - Psychonomic Bulletin & Review

ER -