
Most of the time, we learn only gradually, incrementally building connections between actions or events and outcomes. But there are exceptions–every once in a while, something happens and we immediately learn to associate that stimulus with a result. Scientists have discovered that uncertainty in terms of the causal relationship — whether an outcome is actually caused by a particular stimulus — is the main factor in determining whether or not rapid learning occurs.
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/QvFgITN2VaE/150428171404.htm