Practice and Transfer in the Visual and Auditory Recognition of Verbal Stimuli

Abstract

The effect of prior visual or auditory practice on the recognition-thresholds, visual or auditory, of nonsense-syllables was tested on 4 groups of 25 Ss each. Two additional groups served as controls for visual and auditory recognition-thresholds. Frequency of prior practice ranged from 0 to 15 repetitions of the items. Such practice is a determinant of lower recognition-thresholds. The effect was more pronounced in auditory than in visual discrimination, also when the same modality is employed in both practice and test. Transfer from visual training to auditory test was greater than in the reverse direction. The preliminary practice is effective through its causing a reduction in possible alternative responses.