Abstract
One group of Ss (DOC) learned a PA list by a method requiring one-trial learning. Unlearned items were replaced by new pairs on every trial. Another group (C1) learned the PA list by the repetition method, retaining unlearned items. A third group (C2) learned a list by the same repetition method, but the list learned by a given S in this group was composed of items finally learned by an S in the one-trial learning group. In all groups, learned pairs were removed from the list after having been correctly associated once. An analysis of the number of errors to one correct trial found that C1 differed from neither C2 nor DOC, but C2 and DOC differed significantly. Analysis of the number of associations correctly recalled 1 min after the list had been learned, however, found significant differences between DOC and both repetition groups. This was interpreted as support of an incremental hypothesis.
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The preparation of this manuscript was supported by the Department of Defense, Project THEMIS contract (DAAD05-68-C-0176), under the Department of the Army to the Institute for the Study of Cognitive Systems through the TCU Research Foundation. The assistance of Professor Jack Haynes is gratefully acknowledged. This study is in part based upon a Masters thesis completed at North Texas State University by the first author.
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Breckenridge, R.L., Kooker, E.W. On Rock’s one-trial learning controversy. Psychon Sci 15, 313–314 (1969). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03336317
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03336317