Spatial Contiguity, Not Cue-to-Consequence, Is the Issue in Taste-Potentiated Noise-Illness Associations: Comment on Holder, Bermudez-Rattoni, and Garcia (1988)

Holder, Bermudez-Rattoni, and Garcia (1988) allege to have failed to corroborate findings from our laboratory ( Ellins, Cramer, & Whitmore, 1985 ; Ellins & von Kluge, 1987 ) that taste-potentiated noise-illness associations can be established under conditions of spatial contiguity. We maintain that Holder et al. have provided additional experimental support for our contention that spatial contiguity is an important factor in the taste-potentiation of nongustatory stimuli. In addition, we take issue with their conclusion that the results of our research are incompatible with the conditioning principle of cue-to-consequence.