Are protoctista capable of associative learning?
The term “associative learning” covers classical conditioning as well as instrumental and operant conditioning. In the following passage, where these terms are defined, “CS” stands for conditioned stumulus, “US” for unconditioned stimulus, “CR” for conditioned response and “UR” for unconditioned response. Typically, what happens in classical conditioning is that “an association is formed between a non-significant or neutral stimulus (the spherical shape and color of a lemon) … and a biologically significant stimulus (citric acid)… When the neutral stimulus (the CS) reliably precedes the biologically significant stimulus (the US) we come to respond to the CS in a way that is different from the way we used to. In other words, we have established a CR …[T]he innate reaction to citric acid (salivation) … [is] … the UR” (Abramson, 1994, p. 124). Instrumental and operant conditioning are generally defined as “the control of behavior by its consequences” (Abramson, 1994, p. 152). Fo
