Understanding the basic processes in affective learning

情感态度反映了对所遇到的对象的快速评价判断。研究情感态度形成的实验方法是评价性条件反射（EC;综述见Hofmann et al.，2010; Walther等人，2011年）。在典型的EC实验中，中性刺激（条件刺激; CS）与（不）喜欢的刺激（无条件刺激，US）重复配对。常见的结果是以前中性CS的化合价发生实质性变化，使得其在评价上与US相似。尽管深入的研究EC的机制还没有得到很好的理解。虽然人们普遍认为EC是基于刺激之间的“心理联系”（即，CS和US），相对较少关注建立US和CS整合所需的过程。目前的项目涉及这一具体问题。本文将认知约束理论、选择性注意研究和学习理论相结合，弥合了迄今为止互不相关的研究传统之间的差距，并寻求一个新的视角，试图深入了解评价性学习的潜在过程。事实上，我们认为，选择性注意美国或CS调制这些刺激的整合。此外，基于特征绑定的理论，我们分析了哪些过程导致和增强S-R协会，而不是S-S协会。重要的是，根据以前的研究结果（Gawronski，Walther，& Blank，2005），我们假设，根据上下文和人际因素，相同效价的US可以引起完全不同的评价反应。最后，我们分析了选择性（空间）注意是否进一步整合CS和US功能。在更大的范围内，我们希望提高我们的理解的过程有助于形成的情感态度，一方面和选择性注意的功能绑定的另一方面。

Affective attitudes reflect fast evaluative judgments of encountered objects. An experimental approach to study the formation of affective attitudes is evaluative conditioning (EC; for reviews see Hofmann et al., 2010; Walther et al., 2011). In a prototypical EC experiment, a neutral stimulus (conditioned stimulus; CS) is repeatedly paired with a (dis-)liked stimulus (unconditioned stimulus, US). The common result is a substantial shift in the valence of the formerly neutral CS such that it becomes evaluatively similar to the US. Despite intensive research the mechanisms underlying EC are not well understood so far. Although it is generally agreed upon that EC is based on a ‘mental link’ between stimuli (i.e., the CS and the US), relatively less attention was paid to the processes required to establish the integration of US and CS. The current project is concerned with this particular issue. Integrating cognitive binding theory, selective attention research and learning theory, we bridge the gap between hitherto unrelated research traditions and pursue a new perspective in an attempt to gain insight into the processes underlying evaluative learning. In fact, we suggest that selective attention to the US or CS modulates the integration of these stimuli. In addition, based on theories of feature binding, we analyze which processes lead to and enhance S-R associations rather than S-S associations. Important, based on previous findings (Gawronski, Walther, & Blank, 2005) we hypothesize that depending on contextual and interpersonal factors USs of the same valence can elicit quite different evaluative responses. Finally, we analyze whether selective (spatial) attention furthers the integration of CS and US features. On a larger scale, we hope to improve our understanding of the processes contributing to the formation of affective attitudes on the one hand and the role of selective attention in feature binding on the other hand.