A Computational Implementation of a Hebbian Learning Network and its Application to Configural Forms of Acquired Equivalence

Robinson, Jasper; Heinke, Dietmar; George, David

Abstract

We describe and report the results of computer simulations of the three-layer Hebbian network informally described by Honey, Close, and Lin (2010). Simulations were of four published experimental demonstrations of configural acquired equivalence. Experiments involved training rats on appetitive bi-conditional discriminations in which discrete cues, (w and x) signaled food delivery (+) or its absence (-) in four different contexts (A, B, C and D): Ax+ Bx- Cx+ Dx- Ay- By+ Cy- Dy+. Contexts A and C acquired equivalence, which was evident from subsequent revaluation, compound testing and whole-/part-reversal training. The fourth experiment added concurrent bi- conditional discriminations with the same contexts but a pair of additional discrete cues (y and z). The congruent form of the discrimination, in which A and C provided the same information about y and z, was solved relatively readily. Parametric variation allowed the network to successfully simulate the results of each of the four experiments.

Citation

Robinson, J., Heinke, D., & George, D. (2019). A Computational Implementation of a Hebbian Learning Network and its Application to Configural Forms of Acquired Equivalence. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 45(3), 356-371. https://doi.org/10.1037/xan0000203

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 15, 2019
• Online Publication Date: May 1, 2019
• Publication Date: May 1, 2019
• Deposit Date: Mar 28, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 29, 2019
• Journal: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition
• Print ISSN: 2329-8456
• Electronic ISSN: 2329-8456
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 45
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 356-371
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/xan0000203
• Keywords: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1289047
• Publisher URL: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-36796-001
• Related Public URLs: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/xan/index
• Additional Information: ©American Psychological Association, 2019. This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. Please do not copy or cite without author's permission. The final article is available, upon publication, at: 10.1037/xan0000203