Conflicting brain – The daily blog of behavioral and cognitive economics

Classical vs. Operant Conditioning: The Brain’s Memory Tug-of-War

Classical and operant conditioning compete in the brain, preventing simultaneous learning of conflicting actions. Using fruit flies, researchers demonstrated that attempting to teach both types of learning simultaneously results in confusion and no clear memory formation. The brain’s navigation center prioritizes one learning system over the other to avoid conflict. This discovery reshapes our understanding of memory formation and offers potential insights into treating learning disorders. The findings underscore how the brain’s innate mechanisms streamline learning by focusing on one system at a time. The research could inspire strategies for improving education and therapies for memory-related conditions. ….[READ]