Considerable attention has been paid in the past several years to the empirical phenomenon described by Havlow (1949) as "learning set." Data from several studies (Harlow, 1949;Harlow & Warren, 1952; Koronakos & Arnold, 1957; Riopelle: 1953 Riopelle: , 1955) have indicated that rais, monkeys, and chimpanzees form discrimination learning sets which are qualitatively similar. Quantitative differences observed between species (Miles & Meyer, 1956) and between normal and operated monkeys (Harlow, Meyer, & Settlage, 1951) indicate that groups which differ in learning ability may exhibit quantitative differences in the formation of learning sets.Adams (1954) has obtained evidence for the formation of learning sets in human adult males. Kuenne (Harlow, 1949), Hayes, Thompson, andHayes (1953), and Shepard (1957) have demonstrated that preschool children show progressive improvement in performance on a series of discrimination problems. Roberts, in a study reported by Harlow (1951), observed no difference between the performances of normal and orphanage children on a series of discrimination problems.There is little information available on the formation of learning sets in mentally retarded 5s. 'Harriett and Cantor (1957) have shown that mental retardates improve in 1 The research reported herein was performed pursuant to a contract with the United States Office of Education. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.The data on which this paper is based are taken from a thesis submitted by the writer to the Graduate School of the George Peabody College for Teachers in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts.