Final answer:
The blocking effect is an example of the Rescorla-Wagner model, where a new CS cannot form a strong association with the US if another CS already predictably leads to the US, exemplified by differences in dinner time predictability between Ari and Soraya.
Step-by-step explanation:
The blocking effect reflects the Rescorla-Wagner model of associative learning. According to this model, a conditioned stimulus (CS) struggles to form an association with an unconditioned stimulus (US) when the US is already predicted by another CS. This is due to the fact that there is a limitation to the amount of associative value that can be assigned to cues predicting the US. The Rescorla-Wagner model explains that participants, like Ari who can reliably predict dinner at 6:00 due to consistent timing, will establish a strong association between the time and the event. In contrast, for Soraya, who has an inconsistent dinner schedule, it is difficult to form a strong association between a specific time and dinner.
Effectively, the blocking effect occurs in classical conditioning when the ability of a new stimulus to elicit a response is impaired because another stimulus already predicts the occurrence of the unconditioned stimulus. Robert Rescorla demonstrated this by showing that an organism can learn to anticipate an unconditioned stimulus based on the presentation of a conditioned stimulus, provided that the CS consistently and reliably predicts the UCS.