The role of stimulus-response binding and retrieval in instrumental learning

本项目系统地探讨了情景绑定和检索过程在器乐学习中的作用。我们在第一个资助期的研究结果表明，用运动定律（Thorndike, 1898/1911）描述的短期偶然性学习效应可以用基于近因的情景检索过程（近因定律；Giesen, Schmidt, & Rothermund, 2020）来完全解释。在第二个资助期，我们将研究情景检索过程对长期工具学习（色词偶然性学习、反应序列内隐学习）的贡献。在第一个工作包中，我们将采用一种新的范式（交替块范式；Rothermund & Kapinos, 2021）来系统地评估颜色词偶然性学习任务中的长期学习效果。这种范式使我们能够区分基于情景检索（基于频率的检索）和非情景形式的学习（例如，关联形成，统计学习；Miller等人，2019;Theeuwes, 2019）的长期学习解释。在第二个工作包中，将使用空间序列反应时间任务（SRTT; Nissen & bumer, 1987）来研究情景反应-反应（RR）检索（Moeller & Frings, 2019a, b）在内隐序列学习中的作用。一种新开发的SRTT变体（Rothermund, Moeller, & Sprengholz, 2021）使我们能够评估基于最近和基于频率的情景RR检索过程对响应序列内隐学习的贡献。该项目的上级目标是进一步明确该研究单元的总体模型（BRAC模型）。具体来说，我们介绍了基于最近和基于频率的检索之间的区别，我们将研究短距离和长距离的SR和RR事件的情景检索过程的定性特征。计划中的研究对于将BRAC模型的范围扩展到长期学习现象（权变学习、内隐序列学习）也至关重要。除了理论意义之外，我们的研究对我们理解习惯也具有显著的实际意义。

This project systematically explores the role of episodic binding and retrieval processes for instrumental learning. Our findings from the first funding period revealed that short-term contingency learning effects that have been described in terms of the law of exercise (Thorndike, 1898/1911) can be fully explained by processes of recency-based episodic retrieval (the law of recency; Giesen, Schmidt, & Rothermund, 2020). In the second funding period, we will investigate the contribution of episodic retrieval processes to long-term instrumental learning (color-word contingency learning, implicit learning of response sequences).In a first work package, we will employ a novel paradigm (the alternating blocks paradigm; Rothermund & Kapinos, 2021) to systematically assess long-term learning effects in a color-word contingency learning task. This paradigm allows us to distinguish between explanations of long-term learning that are based on episodic retrieval (frequency-based retrieval) vs. non-episodic forms of learning (e.g., association formation, statistical learning; Miller et al., 2019; Theeuwes, 2019).In a second work package, a spatial serial reaction time task (SRTT; Nissen & Bullemer, 1987) will be used to investigate the role of episodic response-response (RR) retrieval (Moeller & Frings, 2019a, b) in implicit sequence learning. A newly developed variant of the SRTT (Rothermund, Moeller, & Sprengholz, 2021) allows us to assess the contribution of recency-based and frequency-based episodic RR retrieval processes to an implicit learning of response sequences.The superordinate aim of the project is to further specify the overarching model of this research unit (BRAC model). Specifically, we introduce a distinction between recency-based and frequency-based retrieval, and we will investigate the qualitative characteristics of episodic retrieval processes for SR and RR episodes across short and long distances. The planned studies are also crucial for extending the scope of the BRAC model to phenomena of long-term learning (contingency learning, implicit sequence learning). Besides the theoretical implications, our research is also of eminent practical relevance for our understanding of habits.