Collaborative Research:  Associations in Instrumental       Learning
{'Code': '08090300', 'Directorate': {'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'LongName': 'Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Fred Stollnitz'}
Dr. Robert A. Rescorla, of the University of Pennsylvania, and                  Dr. Ruth M. Colwill, of Brown University, are collaborating in                  research on the learned basis of elementary goal-directed                       behavior.  A large proportion of learned behavior of humans and                 other animals involves such goal-direction, and its understanding               is central to many psychological processes.                                                                                                                     Drs. Rescorla and Colwill are using a widely-accepted model                     behavioral system in which laboratory rats receive positive                     outcomes when they engage in designated behaviors (responses) in                the presence of signals.  Such an arrangement can potentially                   result in the learning of a variety of relations among signal,                  response, and outcome.  The overall goal of the project is to                   explore the nature of the associative relations that are actually               learned.  Four types of associative relations have been indicated               by the results of previous research by Drs. Rescorla and Colwill,               and will be the special focus of this project:  (a) an                          association between the response and its outcome; (b) an                        association between the signal and that outcome; (c) an                         association between the signal and the response; and finally (d)                a hierarchical association between the signal and the response-                 outcome relation.                                                                                                                                               The theoretical analysis to be conducted draws heavily on our                   currently well-developed understanding of a related learning                    process, Pavlovian conditioning.  In the past twenty years, our                 understanding of Pavlovian conditioning has advanced and changed                dramatically, partly as a result of previous NSF-supported                      research in Dr. Rescorla's laboratory.  It is natural and timely                to attempt an extension of our understanding of Pavlovian                       associations to the more complex and intrinsically more important               case of goal-directed behaviors.  The prospects for significant                 advancement are substantial and exciting.
{'FirstName': 'Robert', 'LastName': 'Rescorla', 'EmailAddress': 'rescorla@sas.upenn.edu', 'StartDate': '07/01/1989', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'University of Pennsylvania', 'CityName': 'Philadelphia', 'ZipCode': '191046205', 'PhoneNumber': '2158987293', 'StreetAddress': 'Research Services', 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Pennsylvania', 'StateCode': 'PA'}
{'Code': '1160', 'Text': 'IBN ANIMAL BEHAVIOR'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1988&All=true', 'xml': '8803514.xml'}