The effects of overtraining on a reversal and nonreversal shift

Abstract

The effects of overtraining on a reversal and nonreversal shift 1 Children, 12-13 years old, were given criterion or overtraining on a modified card sorting test, then transferred to a reversal or nonreversal shift. Type of shift was found to be significant, while degree of training had no significant effect. While the results of reversal ease are interpreted in terms of the operation of a dimension-specific mediator, the failure to find an ORE is acc ounted for in terms of the S's age, motivation, as well as prior experience in learning tasks.

The overlearning reversal effect in preschool children as a function of age

“…Similar failures to observe the ORE have been reported with Capuchin monkeys (D' Amato, 1965), stump-tailed monkeys (Boyer & Cross, 1965), rhesus monkeys (Cross & Boyer, 1966;Tighe, 1965), and with five-year-old children (Vaughter & Cross, 1965). Other negative findings with children have also been observed (Hochman, 1966;Stevenson & Weir, 1959;Viney, 1964).…”

Concept-shift and discrimination-reversal learning in humans.

“…Ten studies found no significant difference between criterion-trained and SOT groups: Youniss and Furth (1965); Heal (1966), with normals; Marsh (1964); Tighe and Tighe (196S); Sugimura (I960), for 2ED, +D held constant; Iwahara and Sugimura (1962), normal and retarded adults; Zach (1964); Viney (1964); Hochman (1966); and Furth and Youniss (1964). All studies but those of Iwahara and Sugimura (1962) and Sugimura (1960) involved normal children (CA < 13 years) and used either ED S , ED C -, or ED n .…”

“…Thirteen comparisons showed no difference between the SOT and "strict" criterion conditions: Stevenson and Weir (19S9); Suzuki (1961); Youniss and Furth (1964b), 2ID r (position without visual cues); Eimas (1966a), Experiment 1 with 2ID r (position); Tempone et al (1966), with 2ID r (simultaneous); Hochman (1966); Viney (1964); Bensberg (1958); Gollin (1964), with 4.5-5 year olds; Heal (1966), with retardates; Cross and Tyer (1966), with older nursery schoolers; Stevenson and Zigler (1957); and Youniss and Furth (1964a), with 3ID n . Stevenson and Zigler (1957) used normal children and retardates.…”

Transfer learning in chronic schizophrenics.

“…Much of the confusion and inconsistencies in the literature reflects differences in the types of reversal-shift and extradimensional tasks employed, as well as S variables such as age and intelligence (Wolff, 1967). Nevertheless, experiments employing human adults of normal intelligence have almost consistently found reversal shift to be performed in less trials and with less errors than extradimensional shift (Harrow & Friedman, 1958;Hochman, 1966;Isaacs & Duncan, 1962;Ludvigson & Caul, 1964;Uhl, 1966). As indicated, the results are inconsistent when retarded humans and children below the age of 13 years have been used.…”