EVALUATIVE CONDITIONING IS A QUALITATIVELY DISTINCT FORM OF CLASSICAL-CONDITIONING - REPLY

Based on a critical review of the literature, Davey (1994)-[Behaviour Research and Therapy, 32, 291-299] concludes that there is no sufficie nt evidence to support the theoretical position that evaluative condit ioning is a qualitatively different form of classical conditioning. In the present manuscript, we will try to show that Davey's conclusion i s biased by: (a) an overemphasis on what he believes to be problematic procedural aspects of previous evaluative conditioning studies; and ( b) a selective reading of the available evidence. Finally, an attempt is made to characterize evaluative conditioning phenomena as the outpu t of a Referential Learning System, which can be distinguished from an Expectancy Learning System.