Response learning in paired-associate lists as a function of intralist similarity.

Abstract

Hypothesized that response learning is initially more rapid the higher the response similarity in a paired-associate list, and that teaching S the responses before he learns a paired-associate list would initially facilitate the learning of this list. Found that teaching S the response prior to paired-associate learning facilitates the learning of lists with both high and low similarity among the responses, and this effect is not due to warm-up or learning-to-learn. In response learning items with high similarity are learned initially more rapidly than items of low similarity. These results aid in understanding previous findings on the roles of stimulus similarity and response similarity in verbal learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)