The Winter Conference on Animal Learning and Behavior will convene in Winter Park, Colorado from Saturday evening, February 8, with departure Wednesday morning, February 12, 2014. If you are interested in attending WCALB 2014, please send your small refundable deposit by October 21, 2013 so we know how many condominiums to reserve. See instructions under "DEPOSITS" section below.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Pavlovian and Skinnerian Processes are

Genetically Separable

Bjoern Brembs

Universität Regensburg

Abstract--The commonalities and differences between operant and classical conditioning have been debated ever since Skinner and Konorski embarked on their epic exchange about "two types of conditioned reflex and a pseudo type" in the 1930s. New techniques that surmount experimental design problems identified in early research allow for a much improved separation of the two types of conditioning. These technical advances, combined with modern genetic manipulations, provide evidence that Pavlovian and Skinnerian processes separate not between the learning procedure (operant vs. classical), but between learning content (self vs. non-self). The picture emerging today reinforces Skinner's early insight that operant conditioning is a composite situation, comprised of a 'Pavlovian' component (learning about stimuli - 'world-learning') and a 'Skinnerian' component (learning about the consequences of actions - 'self-learning'). A research program that distinguished these processes genetically is described.

Bjoern Brembs is Professor of Neurogenetics at Universität Regensburg. He obtained his doctorate in genetics and neurobiology from Universität Würzburg and has done post-doctoral research at the University of Texas Houston Health Science Center. Thematically, Dr. Brembs’ research concerns the general organization of behavior with regards to reward and punishment with the objective of better understanding how brains accomplish adaptive behavioral choice. See http://brembs.net/about.html.

FOCUS SESSION

Operant/Classical Learning: Comparisons and Interactions

Allen Neuringer, Peter Killeen, Jeremie Jozefowiez (Université Lille Nord de France), Michael Commons, Karen Pryor and Stanley Weiss have already joined the Focus Session. The format is presentations (up to 25-minutes) with extended discussion among participants in a Research Seminar Session. Additional qualified participants can be added. Let me () know if you would like to join this session.

Recent WCALB Focus sessions have been concerned with:

Pharmacological History the Control & Expression of Learning Behavior (2013)

Theory of Mind: Current Status of the Controversy (2012)

Bi-directional Links Between Obesity & Learning & Memory Dysfunction (2011)

Rational Rats: Causal Inference and Reality Monitoring (2010)

Economic Demand, Reinforcer Essential Value and Drug Addiction (2009)

Remembering and Anticipating Events in Time (2008)

Modeling Data: From Description & Significance to Behavior & Theories (2007)

The Question of Animal Consciousness and Cognition (2006)

Choice in Humans and other Animals (2005)

Associative Mechanisms and Drug-Related Behavior (2004)

Learning, Choice and Context Effects (2003).

The 2004 & 2010 Focus Sessions were published as Special Issues of the International Journal of Comparative Psychology.

MEETING, WINTER PARK AND ACCOMMODATIONS

The Winter Conference is a friendly and informal meeting that provides an opportunity to combine intensive, scientifically rigorous discussions –related to animal conditioning, behavior and learning -- with skiing at one of Colorado's premier ski areas, Winter Park. See website (http://www.american.edu/cas/psychology/wcalb/index.cfm) for breadth of WCALB paper sessions that reflect participants’ research interests. All participants are invited to make a presentation and suggest topics. Graduate students are welcome and can present with their advisor’s endorsement.

There is downhill skiing for all skill levels, up to black diamond, as well as excellent cross-country skiing in the Arapaho National Forest, Devil's Thumb and Snow Mountain Ranch. The majestic snow-covered Rockies in winter are breathtaking.

The all inclusive cost for registration, four days in a shared Snowblaze condominium, an opening buffet reception and dinner at a fine Winter Park restaurant is only $375/person or $750/couple (couples have their own room, usually with private bath, in a condo). The Snowblaze is located in Winter Park near restaurants and shops. It has an excellent health club with sauna, steam room, hot tub, pool, weight room and handball courts. All units have complete kitchens.

If available, a family can have an entire 2-bedroom condominium unit for $1,125 plus $115 for each person over three. The 2-bedroom units each sleep up to six people if a convertible sofa in the living room is used. All family members are invited to the opening buffet reception, Conference dinner and sessions.

DEPOSITS

We will be in the Colorado Rockies just a week before the prime ski season starts. Therefore, condominiums need to be reserved early. If you think you would like to attend WCALB 2014, please let me () know ASAP by e-mail and send your refundable (until November 30) deposit ($50 per person, $100 per couple, $200 per family) by October 21, 2013. This will help insure a place for you in our limited number of reserved condominiums. Make checks out to Stanley Weiss, WCALB with “WCALB 2014" in the lower left corner. Final payment is due November 30, 2013.

Please send your payment to:

Stanley Weiss, Convener

Winter Conference on Animal Learning & Behavior

Department of Psychology

American University

Washington, DC 20016

We will do our best to include late registrants in the Conference, but often they have had to pay substantially more for their accommodations because our reserved condominiums were full. Therefore, if you are interested in attending the Conference let me know soon and send your refundable (until November 30) deposit. A CALL for presentations will go out to registered participants in early December. If you have any questions or suggestions, contact me at .

I hope to see you in Winter Park!

Stan

Stanley J. Weiss

Professor of Experimental Psychology Emeritus

American University

Washington, D. C. 20016

Phone: 301-656-3454

Fax: 202-885-1023

e-mail: