The formation of discrimination learning sets in mongoloid and normal children.

Abstract

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.

Concurrent learning-set formation in normal and retarded children.

“…Since Harlow's (1949) introduction of LS, there have been a considerable number of investigations with animals (Harlow, 1959) and children (e.g., Ellis, 1958;Girardeau, 1959;Kaufman & Peterson, 1958;Wischner, Braun, & Patton, 1962). Learning-set studies generally, and particularly those employing children, have utilized for the most part an objectquality problem employing a successive procedure.…”

Chapter II: Development and Application of Tests of General Mental Ability

“…The frequent reference to apparently negative results of early studies illustrates the difficulties that arise from lack of research sophistication; these studies abound in unreliable measures, regression effects attributable to errors of measurement, lack of variability, and lack of specificity of the learning task. Relationships between IQ (and/or mental age) and various laboratory learning tasks were demonstrated in several recent studies, for example, those by Ellis and others (1960) and Girardeau (1959). It is interesting that two of the studies which failed to find any relationship, by Eisman (1958) and Akutagawa and Benoit (1959), used paired associates as the learning task.…”

Associative and Set Learning in Severely Subnormal Patients

“…It has been suggested that one characteristic of low intelligence is inability to form learning sets. Observations by Ellis (1958), Girardeau (1959) and Kaufman and Peterson (1958) indicate that, in studies of learning sets, performance of normal and defective children varies with intelligence. There may, however, be other factors, besides intelligence, which affect the ability of defectives to form learning sets.…”