Non-associative learning: its characteristics and types

A summary of the characteristics and types of non-associative learning.

An important percentage of our behavior is due to learning. These learnings may be conscious but, in most cases, they occur completely by chance, without our being aware of which response we have related to which stimulus.

Non-associative learning is one of the ways in which living beings can change our behavior, causing our response to a given stimulus to be reduced or, in the opposite case, significantly increased. Next we will deepen in this modality of learning.

What is non-associative learning?

Non-associative learning is a permanent change in the response to a stimulus due to repeated and prolonged exposure to the stimulus over a relatively long period of time. Normally, the change produced in the individual's behavior has to do with the degree of response to the stimulus, i.e., either a weaker response or, on the contrary, a stronger response.

An example of non-associative learning would be when we are in a bar. It is normal that, as we enter the establishment, we hear the voices of the other customers, who are chatting about their business.

As the minutes go by and we have a drink with our friends, we stop paying attention to the other chatter: we have become accustomed to it. It no longer causes us to respond by losing the thread of the conversation or not being able to hear well what our friends have to say.

The main characteristic of non-associative learning is that it is capable of provoking changes in the individual's behavior or response without the need for several stimuli to be related to each other, hence the term non-associative.

It differs from its counterpart, associative learning, in the fact that the latter occurs through the connection of ideas and experiences. A classic example of associative learning would be Pavlov's experiment that, presenting food to a dog and ringing a bell at the same time, made the dog associate the noise of that instrument with the food.

Non-associative learning is one of the simplest types of learning, and is common in many species.. As with associative learning, non-associative learning was originally described by behavioral psychology, a branch that originally focused exclusively on visible behavior and neglected mental processes. Over time, mental processes have been taken more into account, and non-associative learning has been used in therapeutic and educational settings.

Non-associative learning can occur through one of two processes: habituation or sensitization.. Generally, these processes are complementary and opposing, and are the basis of many of our daily experiences and behavior.

Types of non-associative learning

As we have discussed, non-associative learning can occur in two complementary and opposite processes: habituation and sensitization. Both phenomena involve a change in the individual's attitude or behavior as a consequence of repeated exposure to a particular stimulus. However, the manner in which each does so is different.

1. Habituation

Habituation can be defined as the learning process in which one or more of the components of the individual's innate response to a stimulus decrease as he/she is continuously exposed to the same stimulus or on several occasions.

Among the components that can decrease in intensity we find some such as the probability of the response or its duration. That is to say, as the person receives the stimulus more times, the less tendency he/she has to emit a response, since he/she has become accustomed to it.

Habituation can occur to any type of physical or mental stimulus. The effect of habituation is more pronounced when the stimuli are presented frequently, since the organism becomes accustomed to them. L

he same happens with stimuli that provoke low-intensity responses, since they end up diminishing more rapidly than the more intense ones.

A fairly easy to understand example is clothing. When we put them on, we feel them. We may notice how tight the pants are, that the underpants are bothering us a bit, the bra is too tight... However, when a while has passed, our brain generates a habituation response, blocking redundant information in order to concentrate all cognitive resources on other tasks.

Another case would be when we are watching a movie and they change scenes. Maybe the new scene takes place in the countryside, where we hear the birds singing and the summer breeze blowing. At the beginning we will notice these noises but, after a while, we will not take them into account so much and we will focus only on what the protagonists are saying.

2. Sensitization

Sensitization can be understood as the opposite of habituation. When this phenomenon occurs, the response to the stimulus increases in intensity due to repeated exposure to the stimulus. This process would be behind both adaptive and maladaptive learning phenomena.

An example of sensitization would be what happens to a person when he constantly rubs his arm. At first, the sensation may be pleasant but, after a few minutes and after having excited the peripheral nerves for a prolonged period of time, it turns into a painful discomfort.

Another example is the alarm clock alarm. Alarm clocks are designed so that we cannot get used to their noise because, otherwise, we would continue to sleep. That is why when we hear them every morning, far from getting used to their melody, it is even more annoying, making us more sensitive to their melody.

Is it present in other species?

Although many behaviors observed in the human species do not seem to occur in other species, this is not the case of non-associative learning. This behavior modification mechanism has been found in a multitude of living beings. Practically all animals show some version of this mechanism, as well as being found in plant species, such as the Mimosa, for example. as is the case of Mimosa pudica and some protozoa.

Because of this, many scientists consider that non-associative learning must have been the first type of behavioral change to appear at the evolutionary level.

Possibly, this process has played a very important role in the adaptation to the environment, allowing living beings to save energy and to save the environment.This process may have played a very important role in adaptation to the environment, allowing living beings to save resources by avoiding overreacting to frequently occurring stimuli, as in the case of habituation, or to avoid damage due to overexposure to stimuli, as in the case of sensitization.

Advantages

There are many advantages of non-associative learning.

1. Greater adaptability

Non-associative learning, especially habituation, is a mechanism that allows us to function very adaptively in our environment. If we did not have this ability, we would encounter all kinds of problems when it comes to functioning correctly in our daily lives.

When we are faced with a new stimulus, it is normal that our response is very intense.. This happens with most changes. For example, if we have changed the brand of water we may notice that it does not taste the same to us and even has an aftertaste that does not convince us.

However, as we drink it, we stop noticing its taste. If this were not the case and we always noticed that taste, we might drink less water than we need and run the risk of becoming dehydrated.

2. Applicability

Habituation and sensitization are two processes that can be used in many ways, especially in education, parenting and psychological therapy. can be used in many ways, especially in the field of education, parenting and psychological therapy..

For example, when a child has just started going to school, it is normal for him to feel uncomfortable, afraid and even want to cry, since it is a completely unfamiliar situation that does not bring him security. However, as he goes to class, he ends up getting used to it, relaxing and having a good time with his new school friends.

As far as therapy is concerned, habituation is one of the most useful processes for is one of the most useful processes for the elimination of phobias.. For example, a person who has a phobia of cockroaches has an irrational fear of these insects, which causes him to have a really bad time when he sees them in his house and provokes a high irruption in his life.

In therapy this fear is reduced by means of controlled exposure, by showing the individual stimuli from lower to higher intensity until he/she shows a less intense response and has become habituated. and has become habituated.

3. Find new situations

Although most behavioral experiments on non-associative learning emphasize habituation, sensitization is also of great importance.

Sensitization would be behind many advanced learning processes, especially where new skills need to be acquired. When this occurs the person is able to detect low intensity stimuli, so that he or she could more easily give a more accurate response..

For example, when learning to drive it is normal that in the first attempts after getting the license the person is overly focused on the road and takes time to process all the stimuli. On the other hand, as he/she repeats these attempts, it will be easier to process all the information without having to put a lot of effort into it..

Disadvantages

But just as it has a number of advantages, non-associative learning also has its disadvantages.

1. It reduces positive emotions

It is normal that when we are in front of a pleasant stimulus it produces joy, euphoria, satisfaction and other positive emotions. However, if the stimulus is repeated if the stimulus is repeated several times, the emotional response will be reduced, as it would be the case in aas would be the case in a process of habituation. This is called hedonic adaptation.

If the hedonic adaptation is not properly managed, there is a risk of engaging in dangerous behaviors. This is often seen in people who claim to be "adrenaline junkies", exposing themselves to risky situations such as parachuting, racing cars, extreme hiking...

2. Addictions

And closely related to the previous disadvantage is that non-associative learning can play an important role behind drug addictions. The person who consumes a substance, as he/she takes it on new occasions, notices that he/she becomes habituated to the drug, not causing the same sensations as at the beginning and needing to increase the dose.. Thus, he risks increasing the damage of the drug in his organism.

For example, the main factor behind alcoholism is habituation to alcohol. The first time we drink a beer it can affect us quite a lot, since we are not used to it.

As we increase our consumption, there will be a moment in which we will not notice anything when we drink 3 or 4 beers and we will say that we are "warming up". In order to get "perky" we will need to drink more, and this is where the murky path of alcohol abuse disorder begins.

Bibliographic references:

• Shettleworth, S. J. (2010). Cognition, Evolution and Behavior (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford.
• Malenka RC, Nestler EJ, Hyman SE (2009). "Chapter 15: Reinforcement and Addictive Disorders". In Sydor A, Brown RY (eds.). Molecular Neuropharmacology: A Foundation for Clinical Neuroscience (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. pp. 364-375.
• Pellegrino, R.; Sinding, C.; Wijk, R.A. de; Hummel, T. (2017). "Habituation and adaptation to odors in humans". Physiology & Behavior. 177: 13-19. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.04.006. PMID 28408237