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Robust habit learning in the absence of awareness and independent of the medial temporal lobe

Author

Listed:
  • Peter J. Bayley

    (Department of Psychiatry)

  • Jennifer C. Frascino

    (Department of Psychiatry)

  • Larry R. Squire

    (Department of Psychiatry
    Department of Neurosciences
    University of California, La Jolla
    Veterans Affairs Medical Center (116A))

Abstract

Get the learning habit Habit memory is acquired subconsciously and slowly, by trial-and-error. It is more easily studied in animals than in humans, because of our strong tendency to acquire information as conscious (declarative) knowledge. Yet our capacity for unconscious learning is a vital aspect of the human condition, facilitating many routine tasks. Now it can be confirmed that humans do have a robust capacity for habit learning. Two patients with large medial temporal lobe lesions and profound amnesia were asked to acquire a task that is ordinarily learned by conscious memory. They learned gradually, in the way that monkeys learn the same task, and without being aware of what was being learned. The knowledge was rigidly organized, and performance collapsed when the task format was altered.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter J. Bayley & Jennifer C. Frascino & Larry R. Squire, 2005. "Robust habit learning in the absence of awareness and independent of the medial temporal lobe," Nature, Nature, vol. 436(7050), pages 550-553, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:436:y:2005:i:7050:d:10.1038_nature03857
    DOI: 10.1038/nature03857
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    Cited by:

    1. Brocas, Isabelle & Carrillo, Juan D., 2016. "A neuroeconomic theory of memory retrieval," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 198-205.
    2. Brocas, Isabelle & Carrillo, Juan D., 2014. "Dual-process theories of decision-making: A selective survey," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 45-54.

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