Recall load and difficulty of information processing was examined in kinesthetic recall using a within-S design (N = 15). The multiple-recall task had larger absolute error compared to the single task; however, algebraic error revealed little differences. Absolute error analysis indicated that both retention interval conditions were significantly different from control...
Free recall of noun lists was examin using three different rehearsal procedun silent study, vocal rehearsal of the curre item, and “free” vocal rehearsal of a items on the list. Silent study produced t best overall recall. Serial position cun showed reduced primacy for “fixed” rehearsal, and reduced recency for ft rehearsal, relative to the silent conditio The reduced primacy for...
Nonsense strings containing four, five, six, and seven nonsense words were constructed for three grammatical structure conditions: morphology and syntax, morphology alone, and syntax alone. Analysis of the percentage of words recalled revealed a significant learning effect that was inversely related to sentence length. More important, however, was a failure to find any...
Test stimuli were presented in either the right or left visual field during a memory scanning task. The Ss indicated whether or not a given test stimulus, either a letter or a picture, matched one of a previously presented set of letters. Reaction times were recorded and plotted as a function of the size of the set of letters. The results are in agreement with the hypothesis that...
A signal-detection (TSD) approach was used to determine a difference limen (DL) for supraliminal two-point tactual stimuli applied to the back. Using a standard stimulus of 80 mm, the DL for four male Ss appeared to lie between 10–15 mm. This DL was larger than one previously reported for the dorsal forearm, in harmony with the fact that the two-point threshold is larger for the...
Following a suggestion by Underwood, a difference limen was determined for two-point tactual stimuli, all of which were supraliminal. A signal-detection (TSD) procedure was employed, and consideration was given to subsequent research possibilities in this area.
Confidence ratings were collected in a continuous paired-associate learning task in which items were presented three times each. Analysis of Type 2 operating characteristics showed no difference in the discriminability of correct responses from errors after one vs two reinforcements. Increasing confidence ratings across trials were attributable to a shift in criterion.
Ss were given 96 trials on a simultaneous same-different similarity-dissimilarity task with histoform stimuli exhibiting different amounts of adherence to two generation rules. Similarity judgments and number of same-correct responses were found to be a positive function of amount of adherence to a generation rule. Conversely, performance was poorer (i.e., fewer correct, or...
Previous studies of saccadic suppression do not rule out the possibility that the phenomenon may be affected by, or produced by, shifts of the Os’ criteria for reporting a flash. The present study, using a presumably criterion-free measure (d’), demonstrates a decrease in visual sensitivity beginning as much as 150–200 msec prior to a voluntary saccade. It is suggested that...
This investigation assessed the relation between the abilities to organize and articulate ambiguous stimuli and the global-analytic continuum of cognitive style postulated by Witkin in his theory of psychological differentiation (Witkin et al, 1962). Thirty-five Ss served in the study. Cognitive style was measured by the rod and frame test; the Obscure Figures Test (OFT) was used...
The effects of three levels of judgmental similarity on evaluation and attraction were investigated under noninteraction delayed-feedback conditions. Significant effects of similarity on attraction and on evaluations of intelligence and knowledge were found. However, the effects of judgmental similarity on evaluations of morality and adjustment were not significant. The results...
Possible response biases of Ss with respect to labels were investigated. The Ss were found to have specific preferences within several of the label sets used in previous social interaction experiments. Some alternative labels were tested and the triad of Argon, Boron, and Krypton was found to be least reactive.
The vividness of verbal stimuli is highly related to the semantic differential rating of active (and, in decreasing order of magnitude, to ratings of fast, aggressive, new, hard, and beautiful). Studies manipulating vividness may thus involve demonstration of the effects of the activity dimension on verbal learning.
Ss were asked to listen to a list of words and to identify repeated words upon hearing them. Interspersed with the repetitions were words that were associatively or acoustically related to the repeated words. The intrusion errors were analyzed and the differences across word class found to be highly significant; application of signal-detection theory provided a means of...
The free-operant FI schedule is proposed as an assessment technique in frustrative nonreward investigations. Three profoundly retarded adult males were reinforced with candy for. FI 1 performance. When behavior stabilized, reward was omitted 25% of the time, and responding subsequent to rewarded and nonrewarded trials was compared at four equidistant points across the interval...
Retrieval from long-term memory was investigated in an experiment in which S was shown a category name and asked to respond with a word belonging to the category (e.g., animal—horse, bird—robin). The reaction time (RT) taken to retrieve a member of a given category was not significantly different from the time taken to retrieve a member of a superset of that category. For example...
Ninety-two Ss learned a word-response (r) paired-associate (PA) list, and 92 different Ss learned a consonant-syllable (CCC) r PA list Three types of recall tasks were given prior to the final recall test in order to determine the locus of forgetting for naive Ss after a retention interval of 24h. For the word list, r presentation facilitated final recall, indicating that an...
Using an ad hoc model previous research has found the presence or absence of speech samples taken 4 to 5 sec apart to be statistically independent. The present paper applied a chi-square test to the 5-min monologues of 50 Ss, and found the range of sequential constraint to be 2 to 3 sec. The equivalence of this result to the average breath group in acoustic phonetic research was...
Examination of pigeons’ key-pecking performance, reinforced on concurrent variable-interval 1-min variable-interval 3-min schedules, as a function of the changeover delay revealed the following relationships. As the changeover delay was increased from 0 through 20 sec (1) relative response frequency on the key color associated with the 1-min schedule increased, (2) relative time...
Self-punitive locomotor behavior in rats was investigated in two studies in which the distinctiveness of the punishment zone was manipulated. Contrary to a discrimination hypothesis, conditions designed to enhance the discriminability of the punishment region failed to produce a decrement in vicious-circle behavior. An alternative hypothesis, capable of encompassing both...
Rats were trained to barpress for intracranially delivered electrical stimulation under conditions of 0.0-, 0.5-, and 1.0-sec delay of reward before initiating extinction trials. One group received 3, and another 10, training days with each delay interval Both delay of reward and amount of training influenced acquisition performance, but neither affected extinction rate. Results...
A discriminated escape procedure was employed to train two groups of rats to activate a nose press in the presence of a tone to escape a 1-mA shock. Escape was allowed on a continuous or an intermittent schedule. Each group was then divided into three subgroups, two of which were required to learn a leverpress response where the only reward was the tone, presented on a continuous...
In each of two experiments, C57BL (pigmented) mice were paired with members of the BALB/c (albino) strain under either high or low illumination and their agonistic behavior observed. In both experiments, under high illumination, C57BL Ss won approximately 90% of the bouts that resulted in submission. In contrast, under low illumination, C57BL mice won about 40% of the bouts...