Conditioned inhibition

General characteristics and developmental dynamics

Internal inhibition differs fundamentally from external inhibition in that it forms within the reflex arc itself. A simple distraction of attention is not enough for it to occur; the process requires targeted learning.

The dynamics of this state's development pass through two key stages:

1. Initial stage. When the habitual signal sounds without reinforcement, an orienting-investigatory reaction initially occurs (making the picture externally similar to external inhibition). Later, this reaction transforms into a negative emotion. At first, generating an inhibitory response proceeds with great difficulty; the organism resists altering its stereotype.
2. Consolidation stage. Over time, the process becomes automated and executes easily. According to the theory of functional systems, the physiological mechanism of this stage consists in forming a new action result acceptor that already "expects" the exact absence of reinforcement.

Extinction and differential inhibition

Depending on the conditions under which reinforcement is withheld, several independent types of internal inhibition are distinguished.

Extinction inhibition Occurs in the classical situation: a previously stable conditioned signal simply ceases to be reinforced by the unconditioned stimulus. If the signal is presented repeatedly without reinforcement, the magnitude of the conditioned response (e.g., salivation) gradually drops to zero. Physiologically, this process is accompanied by distinct changes in the animal's breathing. As P.K. Anokhin noted, such autonomic shifts indicate the development of a profound negative emotion and a so-called "difficult state".

Differential inhibition Develops when it is necessary to train the system to distinguish between similar stimuli. In this case, one conditioned stimulus receives reinforcement, while another very close to it in physical parameters does not. The process proceeds in two phases:

• Phase of generalization: the animal produces a conditioned response to both stimuli without making a distinction between them.
• Stage of concentration: the response persists only to the previously reinforced signal and disappears completely for the unreinforced one.

Differentiation is precisely what underlies the training of humans in strict behavioral rules.

Delayed inhibition and conditioned inhibitor

Delayed inhibition Forms in a situation where reinforcement is not completely cancelled, but significantly postponed (delayed) in time from the onset of the conditioned stimulus. If the delay is, for example, 2–3 minutes, then inhibition actively operates throughout this entire waiting period. As a result, the feeding response does not occur immediately to the sound or light, but strictly by the moment the food is actually delivered. I.P. Pavlov called this phenomenon the "businesslike approach", since the response is precisely timed to the goal. The development of this type of inhibition plays a crucial role in raising children, particularly in developing self-control.

Conditioned inhibitor Represents a specific combination of stimuli. If a conditioned stimulus (A) on its own is stably reinforced, but its simultaneous application with another stimulus (B) is not reinforced, then this second agent (B) turns into a conditioned inhibitor. The main feature of the conditioned inhibitor is its broad generalization. This formed inhibitory agent is capable of effectively blocking any other conditioned reflex activity, regardless of which previously established reflex it is joined with.

Briefly: answers to topical questions

Class and exam questions

What else to study on this topic

• Formation of the action result acceptor (according to P.K. Anokhin) during non-reinforcement.
• Orienting-investigatory reaction at the initial stage of inhibition.
• The role of delayed inhibition in the formation of higher mental functions in children.
• Mechanisms of transition from generalization to the stage of concentration of excitation and inhibition.

Other topics in the section "Inhibition of Conditioned Reflex Activity"

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