Consider a blocking experiment in which an animal is first conditioned to associate a light with shock and then is presented with a tone and light together followed by shock. According to CS modulation theories such as that of Mackintosh, blocking would occur because the:
A) tone is ignored.
B) light is ignored.
C) shock is surprising.
D) shock is predictable.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to CS modulation theories like Mackintosh's, blocking occurs because the animal has already learned to associate the light with the shock, so it pays less attention to the new stimulus (the tone), effectively ignoring it.

Consider a Blocking Experiment in Which an Animal Is First