| Abstract: | Notes that a puzzling inconclusiveness has prevailed in the comparison of anticipation and study (reinforcement)-test (RT) procedures in verbal learning. To help to resolve this, the present study elaborated the retention interval hypothesis, applicable to both paired-associate and verbal discrimination learning. Ss were 115 undergraduates. Theoretical and empirical specifications for the effects of the list length (n) factor were supported: n determined the superiority or non-difference for the study-test method compared to the anticipation method. Performance differences between the 2 methods were significant when the list length was intermediate, but were insignificant when it was either too short or too long, where learning was, respectively, either too easy or too difficult. (French summary) (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
