How stable and general is behavior once reached maximum learning ? To answer this question and understand post-acquisition behavior and its related individual differences, we propose a psychological principle that naturally extends the basic associative single-cue Rescorla-Wagner model (which may also be called Hull model) of Pavlovian conditioning to (i) a framework of dynamical models predicting resistance to learning in the first few sessions followed by an over-optimal response peak . In turn, (ii) the theory can be further extended to describe response fluctuations by the laws of quantum mechanics. (iii) We also introduce an independent model characterized by the presence of a stochastic noise of cognitive origin . We ran an unusually long experiment with 32 rats over 3960 trials, where we excluded habituation and other well-known phenomena as sources of variability in the subjects' performance. There is weak to positive evidence that Hull model is the best nonlinear regression to averaged data only for a minority of the subjects, while its dynamical extension (i) can explain the  totality of data . The noise encountered in all individual responses is white , thus confirming the simplest version of model (iii) but standing in contrast with the colored-noise findings in human performance . Finally, data are compatible with the quantum extension (ii), although experimental uncertainties dominate the result. On the other hand, data do not favor models with (iv) a long-memory effect or (v) where response variability is solely described by a random fractal .
How stable and general is behavior once maximum learning is reached ? To answer this question and understand post-acquisition behavior and its related individual differences, we propose a psychological principle that naturally extends associative models of Pavlovian conditioning to a dynamical oscillatory model where subjects have a greater memory capacity than usually postulated, but with greater forecast uncertainty. This results in a greater resistance to learning in the first few sessions followed by an over-optimal response peak and a sequence of progressively damped response oscillations. We detected the first peak and trough of the new learning curve in our data, but their dispersion was too large to also check the presence of oscillations with smaller amplitude . We ran an unusually long experiment with 32 rats over 3960 trials, where we excluded habituation and other well-known phenomena as sources of variability in the subjects' performance. Using the data of this and another Pavlovian experiment by Harris et al. (2015), as an illustration of the principle we tested the theory against the basic associative single-cue Rescorla-Wagner (RW) model. We found evidence that the RW model is the best nonlinear regression to data only for a minority of the subjects, while its dynamical extension can explain the almost totality of data with strong to very strong evidence. Finally, an analysis of short-scale fluctuations of individual responses showed that they are described by random white noise, in contrast with the colored-noise findings in human performance .
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reached maximum learning
maximum learning is reached
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the basic associative single-cue Rescorla-Wagner model (which may also be called Hull model)
associative models
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(i) a framework of dynamical models predicting
a dynamical oscillatory model where subjects have a greater memory capacity than usually postulated, but with greater forecast uncertainty. This results in a greater
R
. In turn, (ii) the theory can be further extended to describe response fluctuations by the laws of quantum mechanics. (iii) We also introduce an independent model characterized by
and a sequence of progressively damped response oscillations. We detected the first peak and trough of the new learning curve in our data, but their dispersion was too large to also check
R
a stochastic noise of cognitive origin
oscillations with smaller amplitude
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There is weak to positive evidence that Hull
Using the data of this and another Pavlovian experiment by Harris et al. (2015), as an illustration of the principle we tested the theory against the basic associative single-cue Rescorla-Wagner (RW) model. We found evidence that the RW
D
averaged
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(i)
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almost
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. The noise encountered in all individual responses is white , thus confirming the simplest version of model (iii) but standing
with strong to very strong evidence. Finally, an analysis of short-scale fluctuations of individual responses showed that they are described by random white noise,
D
. Finally, data are compatible with the quantum extension (ii), although experimental uncertainties dominate the result. On the other hand, data do not favor models with (iv) a long-memory effect or (v) where response variability is solely described by a random fractal