Temporary stimulus-response binding as a mechanism in incidental association learning II

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Two important fields in action control research focus on (1) individual actions and resulting bindings between stimuli and responses and (2) learning mechanisms that support actions in well-known situations. It is plausible to assume a tight relation between integration of individual action plans on the one hand, and incidental learning of contingencies between our actions and characteristics of the situation on the other hand. In line with this, some researchers even treat binding and learning processes as identical. Yet, there is also evidence indicating that learning and binding are based on independent processes. Whether binding- and learning process can be differentiated at all, and how these processes might influence each other is currently much debated in the literature. During the first funding period we found that some characteristics of binding- and learning processes are similar, but that both mechanisms can be clearly differentiated. In addition, there is evidence for mutual influences of the processes. To be able to shift the focus to the control of complex action sequences, it is necessary to clarify whether bindings between individual actions are possible and similar to stimulus-response bindings. During the first funding period we did indeed find evidence for response-response bindings. Goal of the second funding period is to attain a precise understanding of the structure and characteristics of these bindings between individual actions. Based on this insight, it then becomes possible to analyze mutual influences of binding- and incidental learning processes in action sequences.