Studies in incidental learning: II. The effects of association value and of the method of testing.

Abstract

Differences in the amounts retained by intentional and incidental learners were compared as a function of (a) the association value of the stimuli and (b) the method of measuring retention. In Exp. I, a list of nonsense syllables covering a wide range of association values was used. Retention was measured by free recall and recognition. Intentional learners surpassed incidental learners in the recall of items of low association value but not of items of high association value. There was no significant difference in the recognition performance of the two groups. In Exp. II, recall for a series of adjectives was measured under different stimulating conditions at the time of the retention test. Intentional and incidental learners were divided into three groups: (1) Free Recall Groups, (2) Facilitating Context Groups which were presented with cue words having strong associative connections with the learning items, and (3) Inhibitory Context Groups presented with cue words designed to elicit responses which would compete with the correct items. Under both conditions of learning recall was highest for the Facilitating Context Groups, lowest for the Inhibitory Context Groups, with the Free Recall Groups occupying an intermediate position. Intentional learners surpassed incidental learners on the test of free recall but under neither of the context conditions. A major difference between intentional and incidental learners lies in the number and distribution of associations of different strengths formed during training. Both groups form some strong associations, but incidental learners form fewer associations of intermediate strength and more weak associations than do intentional learners. Hence neither a very easy test (recognition or facilitating context at recall) nor a very difficult test (inhibitory context at recall) is sufficiently sensitive to discriminate between intentional and incidental learners. A test sensitive to intermediate degrees of associative strength (free recall) allows the differences in degree of learning to produce significant differences in performance.