Tests of a Real-Time Model of Pavlovian Fear Conditioning
{'Code': '08090200', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'IOS', 'LongName': 'Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Fred Stollnitz', 'PO_EMAI': None, 'PO_PHON': None}
Backward conditioning has always been controversial, and even in                the most convincing demonstrations has been weak.  Still, it is                 of great theoretical importance because its existence argues                    against the widely accepted view that neutral events must predict               the occurrence of non-neutral events in order to acquire                        conditioned strength.                                                                                                                                           Dr. Ayres will carry out experiments using rats in order to study               backward excitatory fear conditioning, in which a once-neutral                  stimulus (CS) comes to arouse fear because it has in the past                   closely followed (rather than preceded) a non-neutral stimulus                  (US).  In Dr. Ayres' work, the US is a brief electric shock, and                the CS is a tone, click, or light.                                                                                                                              Dr. Ayres will manipulate such variables as CS and US duration,                 the length of the gap between US termination and CS onset, etc.                 The aim is to discover parameters that will make the backward-                  conditioning effect as robust as possible and thus to facilitate                future experimental and theoretical analysis.  The discovery of a               strong effect could, moreover, implicate backward conditioning as               a hitherto-neglected source of human anxiety disorders.                                                                                                         Dr. Ayres' research is unique in focusing mainly on one-trial                   conditioning procedures.  Human anxiety disorders (and learning                 by animals in the wild) often appear to be based on a single                    experience, yet one-trial conditioning has received relatively                  little experimental attention.  Such procedures also have                       important methodological properties.                                                                                                                            Finally, the research is also unique in that the bulk of the                    studies are guided by the computer-simulated predictions of a                   formal model of conditioning.  The studies thus provide strong                  tests of that model.
{'FirstName': 'John J. B.', 'LastName': 'Ayres', 'PI_MID_INIT': None, 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'John J. B. Ayres', 'EmailAddress': None, 'NSF_ID': '000230871', 'StartDate': '09/01/1988', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'University of Massachusetts Amherst', 'CityName': 'AMHERST', 'ZipCode': '010039252', 'PhoneNumber': '4135450698', 'StreetAddress': '101 COMMONWEALTH AVE', 'StreetAddress2': None, 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Massachusetts', 'StateCode': 'MA', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '02', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'MA02', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'VGJHK59NMPK9', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': 'VGJHK59NMPK9'}
{'Name': None, 'CityName': None, 'StateCode': None, 'ZipCode': None, 'StreetAddress': None, 'CountryCode': None, 'CountryName': None, 'StateName': None, 'CountryFlag': None, 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': None, 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_PERF': '""'}
{'Code': '1160', 'Text': 'IBN ANIMAL BEHAVIOR'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1987&All=true', 'xml': '8723173.xml'}