EYEBLINK CLASSICAL-CONDITIONING AND AWARENESS REVISITED

Dual-task performance was assessed in 140 adults during eyeblink class ical conditioning (EBCC) and one of several secondary tasks (timed-int erval tapping, recognition memory, choice reaction time, video viewing ). Four groups received paired-EBCC stimulus presentation, and three g roups received explicitly unpaired EBCC stimuli. Although the subjects were not told about the conditioning task, they acquired conditioned responses (CRs) at normal levels. Postsession interviews probed partic ipants' awareness of EBCC stimulus contingencies and production of CRs . Reported awareness of paired-EBCC stimulus contingencies and CR prod uction was not related to actual EBCC performance. Twenty-seven percen t of the participants receiving explicitly unpaired stimuli reported a stimulus contingency when none existed. Tile dissociation between awa reness and performance provides additional support for the categorizat ion of simple EBCC as a form of nondeclarative learning.