Analysis of the context-switch effect upon retrieval of the informationThe influence of an increase in the prediction error on information processing

Abstract

Attentional Theory of Context Processing (ATCP) suggests that experiencing interference boosts organism’s attention to the context, facilitating context conditioning and context dependence of information retrieval. Alternatively, the increase in attention might not be specific to context, but rather engage the attentional exploration mechanism, facilitating new learning. In the first study, the associative interference experience facilitated contextual conditioning but not concurrent acquisition of a new Cue-Outcome relationship in rats. The second study found facilitation of subsequent temporal conditioning, but it did not facilitate context conditioning. Finally, the last study suggests that the experience of associative interference facilitates subsequent acquisition of new spatial learning. These results support the idea that associative interference increases the prediction error, prompting the engagement of the attentional exploration mechanism and facilitating subsequent new learning.