experiments on stimulus predifferentiation were conducted to test the acquired distinctiveness of cues and differentiation hypotheses of perceptual learning. In the first, 240 Ss were given a recognition test following stimulus predifferentiation training. Observation training yielded superior recognition of 6-point shapes and distinctiveness pretraining yielded superior recognition of 24-point shapes. The former result was consistent with differentiation theory and the latter with acquired distinctiveness. In the second, 30 Ss received stimulus predifferentiation training followed by a discriminative transfer task. Distinctiveness pretraining yielded greater positive transfer than observation, a result consistent with acquired distinctiveness of cues.

This experiment investigated the effect of degree of stimulus meaning, type of stimulus meaning, and shape complexity as factors influencing the transfer of predifferentiation training. 120 Ss were given preliminary paired-associate practice in labeling random shapes with meaningful labels and then were given a multiple-shape-recognition test. Shape recognition was found to depend on both degree of stimulus meaning and complexity; in general, meaning facilitated recognition whereas an inverse relation between complexity and recognition was obtained. The effect of type of stimulus meaning depended upon the particular scale employed; stimulus meaning, defined either as associative consistency or association value, was found to be a factor influencing shape recognition, whereas associative frequency did not affect shape recognition.

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This study examined the correlations between academic achievement and factor specific, as well as global, measures of self-concept for 314 fourth and sixth grade boys and girls divided into grade level groups with and without Spanish surnames. The Primary Self-Concept Inventory was used to measure self-concept on six scales: physical size, emotional state, peer acceptance, helpfulness, success, and student-self. A global self-concept score was derived by totaling the scores on the six scales. Achievement was measured as total score on the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills. The two specific measures of self-concept that were most reflective of school performance, success and student-self, tended to show low positive correlations with achievement. The remaining specific measures, as well as the global measure, tended to show no relationship to achievement. These results suggest that an area specific model of self-concept is more useful than a global or undifferentiated model. Further, the low correlations between school related self-concept and achievement suggest that, as a group, students frequently have rather inaccurate academic self-concepts.

15 boys, ages 6 to 9 yr., participated in a summer sports day camp under the supervision of counselors trained in ways to enhance self-concept. An attempt was made to implement strategies in the program so that campers would experience persistent success during sports-skills learning and performance and develop positive peer relations. Subjects were pre- and post-tested on a self-concept scale which measured self-knowledge and self-esteem for physical maturity, peer relations, academic success, school adaptiveness, and sports-skills ability. It was thought that a positive experience through developing skills in sport and peer relations might improve at least the area of self-concept related to sports skills as opposed to the other dimensions. This hypothesis was supported. Only the aspects of self-concept related to sport were significantly enhanced after the camp experience. The findings support past research indicating that personal self-concept is situation-specific.