Elsevier

Acta Psychologica

Volume 36, Issue 4, September 1972, Pages 280-289
Acta Psychologica

Regulation of study-time and interstimulus similarity in self-paced learning conditions

https://doi.org/10.1016/0001-6918(72)90012-1Get rights and content

Abstract

The hypothesis of study-time regulation states that Ss studying a material, spend on each item a time related to its objective difficulty. In this experiment, difficulty is defined according to interstimulus similarity (high, medium, or low) and the items are given a different incentive value (10 points, or 1 point). Thirty-six Ss learned 8 paired-associates with self-paced presentation. The Ss interrupted their study when they judged they had achieved a perfect mastery of the material; they were submitted to a double retention test (recall and recognition).

The results showed that the higher the interstimulus similarity of the items, the longer their study-time and the lower the number of correct responses in the tests. Study-time generally decreased from cycle to cycle during the periods of study; but between these periods it rose after the test for the Ss who resumed study. This evolution of study-time interacted with interstimulus similarity. No effect of incentive value was evidenced.

References (12)

  • W.F. Harley

    Delay of incentive cues in paired associate learning and its effect on organizing responses

    Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior

    (1968)
  • N.C. Waugh

    Free recall of conspicuous items

    Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior

    (1969)
  • R.C. Atkinson et al.

    Human memory and the concept of reinforcement

  • W.F. Harley

    The effect of monetary incentive in paired associate learning using a differential method

    Psychonomic Science

    (1965)
  • J.F. Le Ny

    L'effet de position dans un apprentissage intentionnel de série

    Année Psychologique

    (1969)
  • J.F. Le Ny

    Apprentissage et activité d'étude

    Revue Française de Pédagogie

    (1972)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

View full text