Perceptual variability: Implications for learning and generalization
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THEORETICAL REVIEW
Perceptual variability: Implications for learning and generalization Jonas Zaman 1,2 & Anastasia Chalkia 2,3 & Ann-Kathrin Zenses 2 & Antoine Selim Bilgin 2 & Tom Beckers 2,3 & Bram Vervliet 4 & Yannick Boddez 2,5
# The Psychonomic Society, Inc. 2020
Abstract The generalization of learned behavior has been extensively investigated, but accounting for variance in generalized responding remains a challenge. Based on recent advances, we demonstrate that the inclusion of perceptual measures in generalization research may lead to a better understanding of both intra- and interindividual differences in generalization. We explore various ways through which perceptual variability can influence generalized responding. We investigate its impact on the ability to discriminate between stimuli and how similarity between stimuli may be variable, rather than fixed, because of it. Subsequently, we argue that perceptual variations can yield different learning experiences and that interindividual differences in generalized responding may be understood from this perspective. Finally, we point to the role of memory and decision-making within this context. Throughout this paper, we argue that accounting for perception in current generalization protocols will improve the precision of obtained generalization gradients and the ability to infer latent mechanisms. This can inspire future attempts to use generalization gradients as a (clinical) predictor or to relate them to individual traits and neural correlates and, ultimately, may lead to new theoretical and clinical insights. Keywords Generalization . Perception . Discrimination . Learning . Memory . Decision-making . Conditioning
Introduction Our environment constantly changes, both externally and internally, such that a (learning) situation is never replicated in its exact form. Hence, the capacity to generalize from previous
Anastasia Chalkia, Ann-Kathrin Zenses and Antoine Selim Bilgin shared second co-authorship. As all authors contributed equally author order was decided by random permutation. * Jonas Zaman [email protected]; https://ppw.kuleuven.be/ogp 1
Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Box 3726, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
2
Center for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Box 3712, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
3
Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
4
Laboratory for Biological Psychology, KU Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Box 3714 Leuven, Belgium
5
Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
experiences is one of the most fundamental abilities of human and non-human animals, and the understanding of learning will never be complete without an understanding of generalization. Accordingly, attempts to characterize generalization have been performed across a wide range of species and behaviors (e.g., Ames & Yarczower, 1965; Armony, ServanSchr
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