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PreprintCited by 70Memory and Neural MechanismsMemory Processes and InfluencesNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Immediate extinction causes a less durable loss of performance than delayed extinction following either fear or appetitive conditioning

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Woods, Amanda M., Bouton, Mark E.·2008·Learning & Memory
DOI 10.1101/lm.1078508PMC PMC2632840
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Abstract

Five experiments with rat subjects compared the effects of immediate and delayed extinction on the durability of extinction learning. Three experiments examined extinction of fear conditioning (using the conditioned emotional response method), and two experiments examined extinction of appetitive conditioning (using the food-cup entry method). In all experiments, conditioning and extinction were accomplished in single sessions, and retention testing took place 24 h after extinction. In both fear and appetitive conditioning, immediate extinction (beginning 10 min after conditioning) caused a faster loss of responding than delayed extinction (beginning 24 h after conditioning). However, immediate extinction was less durable than delayed extinction: There was stronger spontaneous recovery during the final retention test. There was also substantial renewal of responding when the physical context was changed between immediate extinction and testing (Experiment 1). The results suggest that, in these two widely used conditioning preparations, immediate extinction does not erase or depotentiate the original learning, and instead creates a less permanent reduction in conditioned responding. Results did not support the possibility that the strong recovery after immediate extinction was due to a mismatch in the recent "context" provided by the presence or absence of a recent conditioning experience. Several other accounts are considered.

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  1. Barlow, D.H. 1988. Anxiety and its disorders: The nature and treatment of anxiety and panic. Guilford Press, New York.
  2. Pavlov, I.P. 1927. Conditioned reflexes (trans. G.V. Anrep). Oxford University Press, London.
  3. Rescorla, R.A. 2001. Experimental extinction. In Handbook of contemporary learning theories (eds. R.R. Mowrer and S.B. Klein), pp. 119-154. Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ.
  4. Wagner, A.R. and Brandon, S.E. 2001. A componential theory of Pavolovian conditioning. In Handbook of contemporary learning theories (eds. R.R. Mowrer and S.B. Klein), pp. 23-64. Erlbaum, Mahway, NJ.

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Authors
Woods, A. M., & Bouton, M. E.
Affiliations
University of Vermont (US)
Corresponding author
Bouton, Mark E.
ORCID
Bouton, Mark E.
Venue
Learning & Memory
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Published
2008-12
Volume
15
Issue
12
Pages
909-920
ISSN
  • 1072-0502 (ISSN-L)
  • 1549-5485
DOI
10.1101/lm.1078508
PMC
PMC2632840
OpenAlex
W2120020525
Cited by
70
References
79
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 4
Type
posted content
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Learning & Memory (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Vermont
  • National Institute of Mental Health (MH64827, R01MH064847, R01MH064827)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
extinction, fear conditioning, appetitive conditioning, conditioned emotional response, spontaneous recovery, renewal, retention
MeSH terms
Analysis of Variance, Animals, Appetitive Behavior, Conditioning, Classical, Conditioning, Operant, Extinction, Psychological, Fear, Female, Retention, Psychology, Time Factors, Rats, Wistar, Rats

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