ABSTRACT
The present theory makes the following initial assumption: an information processing mechanism is hypothesized to provide the basis for the non-rule-based learning capacities exhibited by mammals and to a lesser degree other vertebrates. Its interaction with organismic motivational characteristics affects the way in which its behavioral capacities are expressed. An organism, when exposed to a novel stimulus, encodes a precise representation of that stimulus in the central nervous system. In addition, details of the context in which the stimulus occurs are also encoded; these can include background stimuli, the internal state of the organism and the responses occurring concurrently with the stimulus. This memorial representation is then used as the basis for stimulus recognition and as the basis for appropriate responding in many different learning situations.
