ABSTRACT
Preferences influence virtually all aspects of human behavior; they impact upon the foods we eat, the products we buy, the stimuli we approach or avoid, and the people with whom we spend time. Despite their huge influence, relatively little is understood about how we develop these preferences. One candidate to explain preference learning is associative learning: For example, associative learning has a long history as an explanation for why extreme emotional responses, such as fear, develop (e.g., Watson & Rayner, 1920; and for reviews, see Davey, 1997; Field & Davey, 2001). The interest in explaining preferences as conditioned responses dates back to the 1930s when Razran did several studies (all reported only as abstracts) in which various stimulus materials (musical selections, photographs, verbal statements, and paintings) were presented during a luncheon (two sandwiches, two desserts, and a beverage no less!). Evaluations of the stimuli became more positive because of the association between the stimulus and pleasant experience of the luncheon. Conversely, when paired with a noxious odor ratings decreased (see Razran, 1938a, 1938b, 1940a, 1940b).
