Effects of interval between successive numbers and pattern in verbal learning.

Abstract

The effect of interval between successive numbers (IBSN) and the interactions among IBSN, doublet, and doublet location in a serial list were investigated. In one experiment, 48 Ss learned a verbal maze under 1 of 2 IBSN conditions. In another experiment, 160 Ss were divided into a large and small IBSN condition for each of 4 doubletlocation conditions. The lists were learned by the serial-anticipation method. The experiments demonstrated that rate of acquisition of a serial list increases as IBSN decreases. Further, the doublet, in general, acts as an anchoring point in serial-anticipation learning and the effectiveness of this anchoring doublet increases as the difficulty of the series in which it is located increases.

Magnitude of the doublet effect as a function of location in a verbal maze.

“…The 5s were given the instructions used by Thompson (1965). After any questions pertaining to the instructions were answered, learning trials were begun.…”