Nonassociative Learning
Nonassociative learning is a change of the behavior of an animal due to an experience from specific kinds of stimuli. In contrast to associative learning the behavioral change is not caused by the animals learning that a particular temporal association occurs between the stimuli. There are three different forms of nonassociative learning examined in Aplysia: habituation, dishabituation and sensitization. Eric Kandel and colleagues were the first to demonstrate that Aplysia californica is capable of displaying both habituation and dishabituation.
Habituation in Aplysia californica is when a stimulus is repeatedly presented to an animal and there is a progressive decrease in response to that particular stimulus.
Dishabituation in Aplysia californica is when the animal is presented to another novel stimulus and a partial or complete restoration of a habituated response occurs.
Sensitization in Aplysia californica is the increase of a response due to the presentation of a novel, often noxious, stimulus.
Read more about this topic: Aplysia Gill And Siphon Withdrawal Reflex
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