Renewal of instrumental avoidance in humans

Urcelay, Gonzalo P.; Symmons, Kadell; Amos, Bethany; Toutounji, Hazem; Prével, Arthur

Abstract

The ABA renewal effect occurs when behaviour is trained in one context (A), extinguished in a second context (B), and test occurs in the training context (A). Two mechanisms that explain ABA renewal are context summation at test and contextual modulation of extinction learning, with the former being unlikely if both contexts have a similar associative history. In two experiments, we used within-subjects designs in which participants learned to avoid a loud noise (US) signalled by discrete visual stimuli (CSs+), by pressing the space bar on the computer keyboard. Training was conducted in two contexts, with a different pair of CSs (CS+ and CS-) trained in each context. During extinction, CS+ and CS- stimuli were presented in the alternative context from that of training, and participants were allowed to freely respond, but no loud noise was presented. Finally, all CSs were tested in both contexts, resulting in a within-subjects ABA vs ABB comparison. Across experiments, participants increased avoidance responses during training, and decreased them during extinction, although Experiment 2 revealed less extinction. During test, responding was higher when CS+ were tested in the training (ABA) vs the extinction context (ABB) – revealing renewal of instrumental avoidance. Experiment 2 also measured expectancy after the avoidance test and revealed a remarkable similarity between avoidance responses and expectancy ratings. This study shows renewal of instrumental avoidance in humans, and the results suggest the operation of a modulatory role for the context in renewal, similar to occasion setting of extinction learning by the context.

Citation

Urcelay, G. P., Symmons, K., Amos, B., Toutounji, H., & Prével, A. (2024). Renewal of instrumental avoidance in humans. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 50(3), 197–209. https://doi.org/10.1037/xan0000383

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 22, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-07
• Deposit Date: Jun 11, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 11, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition
• Print ISSN: 2329-8456
• Electronic ISSN: 2329-8464
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 50
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 197–209
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/xan0000383
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/36006715
• Publisher URL: https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2025-10517-001.html