Specific associative unlearning in the AB-CD paradigm.

Since previous experiments have yielded conflicting results as to whether or not specific associative unlearning occurs in the different stimuli-different responses (AB-CD) paradigm, 2 experiments were directed at this problem. In Exp. I, with 96 undergraduates who were naive to verbal learning experiments, the response-form class of AB-CD lists was varied; no evidence of associative unlearning was found in any condition. In Exp. II, with 100 Ss, significant unlearning was found with similar and identical stimuli in both lists, but not when nonsense syllables and numbers were used as stimuli in successive lists, or when minimally related nonsense syllables were used as stimulus terms in the 2 lists. J. B. McGovern's (see record 2011-18733-001) analysis of unlearning was supported. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some fundamentals of B. F. Skinner's behaviorism.

Despite B. F. Skinner's prominence, his impressive written corpus, and the many authoritative presentations by others of his approach to psychology, the fundamentals of Skinner's psychology have never been addressed in any comprehensive manner. In this article, the authors take steps to fill this gap by synopsizing Skinner's written corpus into 12 fundamental points that seem to characterize his behaviorism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Aided recall and list-1 retention under conditions of retroactive interference.

Attempted to determine whether list 1 retention decrements resulting from retroactive inhibition (ri)-producing list 2 learning could be reduced with recall aids. 120 male and female undergraduates serving as ss were randomly assigned to groups of 20 each. In a typical ri design, experimental ss learned 2 8-item paired-associate lists conforming to an ab-ac relationship; control ss learned only a single list. 3 types of recall conditions were used for the unpaced list 1 retention test (stimulus terms were provided in all cases): (a) standard unaided test, (b) middle 3 letters of the 9-letter response words provided, (c) initial 3 letters of response terms provided. The latter 2 conditions (aided recall) reduced ri in that control-experimental differences were reliably less on these tests than on the standard unaided test. It appears that ri results, in part, from difficulties with the retrieval of information that is available in storage. 2 views of the manner in which retrieval problems in ri can be conceptualized are discussed. (french summary) (15 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The experimenter effect.

Recent investigations in experimental psychology have shown somewhat striking results which indicate that Es may and do influence their data. This problem was considered in relation to the areas of: experimental, counseling, and testing psychology. A historical review revealed that although the influence of E has been generally acknowledged, an unconcerned attitude towards this phenomenon has been taken, especially by experimental psychologists. Counseling psychology has been most concerned with the experimenter effect because this is closely related to the counseling situation. Workers in this area have not only recognized but have attempted to manipulate E influence. In the field of testing, investigators have reported significant variability in Ss' performances as a result of E characteristics. (42 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Punishment and the length of non-shock confinement during the extinction of avoidance.

Groups of 72 male Sprague-Dawley rats, trained to avoid in an alley with 3 distinct chambers, spent either 2, 15, or 30 sec. in the safe or goal chamber (GB) during extinction, with the remainder of the constant 150-sec intertrial interval (ITI) spent in the start box (SB). 1/2 the Ss of each group were punished (shocked) in the middle chamber during extinction, 1/2 were not. It was found that (1) the longer the goal confinement, the greater the resistance to extinction; regular extinction groups extinguished faster than the punished; and (3) there was no significant interaction between GB confinement and the punishment variable. During extinction in Exp. 2 there were 2 levels of goal confinement (2 vs. 30 sec.), equal time spent in SB in all groups, a constant ITI of 62 sec., and punishment vs. no punishment. 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats served as Ss. As anticipated, punishment prolonged extinction only for the 30-sec GB confinement; the other 3 groups extinguished at approximately the same rate. The concept of short-latency "relief" was invoked to explain this significant interaction. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Type of start box and goal box distinctiveness in self-punitive running of rats.

A total of 96 male Sprague-Dawley rats were first trained to escape shock in an alley by running to a safe goal box. In Exp I either a trapdoor-floored start box or a guillotine-door start box was used in different groups. In extinction, nonpunished and punished subgroups were tested in each of the start-box conditions. Punishment produced faster running speeds than nonpunishment (self-punitive effect) only with the trapdoor. The trapdoor start box was used in Exp II, and independent groups of Ss were trained to escape to a goal box that was either very dissimilar or similar to the shock area. Nonpunished and punished subgroups were extinguished in each goal box condition. Self-punitive running was more likely with the dissimilar goal box. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)