Fifty-four Ss responded vocally at three levels of stimulus uncertainty to visually presented Arabic numerals. Responses were paired with stimuli in three ways to create ensembles that demonstrated high, intermediate, and low S-R compatibility effects. RT was found to be an increasing linear function of the amount of information transmitted (Ht); the degree to which RT is influenced by Ht was found to be an inverse function of the degree of S-R compatibility. IntroductionSince Hick (1952) initially pointed out that the rate of gain of information is a constant, several researchers have found that disjunctive reaction time (RT) is an increasing linear function of the amount of information transmitted (Ht) per S-R event (e. g., Crossman, 1953;Gregg, 1954). Others, however, have found conditipns under which RT has failed to increase with either Ht or stimulus uncertainty (Leonard, 1959; Mowbray & Rhoades, 1959; Mowbray, 1960), or under which various factors apparently influence the degree of increase (Brainard et aI., 1962;Fitts & Switzer, 1962). The present experiment was intended as a general test of the notion that the rate of gain of information varies as a function of S-R compatibility.~Icthod Fifty-four undergraduates at Emory University served as volunteer Ss. Each S responded vocally at one of three levels of stimulus uncertainty (Hs) to visually presented Arabic numerals with one ofthree S-R ensembles (representing high, intermediate, and low degrees of S-R compatibility). The three levels of Hs were combined factorially with the three degrees of S-R compatibility, and six Ss were assigned at random to each of the nine conditions with the sole restriction that the male-tofemale ratio in each group was 4/2.The stimuli for the Hs levels ofl, 2, and 3 bits/ stimulus were the Arabic numerals 1 and 2, 1 through 4, and 1 through 8, respectively. The numerals were projections of photographic reproductions of the AND-10400 numerals. They appeared as dark figures on an illuminated field at the center of a 3-in diameter circular display area about 28 in from S. As projected, each stimulus figure was 1.5 in high; brightness contrast was high and the figures were quite legible.The display screen was mounted near the center of a display surface (about 1 yd sq), and both were tilted 30 deg from vertical so that S's line of sight was normal to the screen. A green warning light, 3.5 in below the center of the screen, was lit during the 2-sec. period Poyclwn. Sci., 1964, Vol. 1.immediately preceeding the onset of any stimulus. The display board and the interior of the 5 x 7-ft experimental booth were painted a flat gun-metal gray.In the high-compatibility condition, S responded with typical number-naming: "one" to the numeral 1, "two" to the numeral 2, etc. Essentially the same number names were used in the low-compatibility condition ("nine" and "ten" were also used), but the names were paired with the Arabic numerals at random and differently for each S. In one case, for example, S was instructed to respond to t...
The relative effectiveness of tangible and social (intangible) rewards upon the performance of a simple discrimination learning task by lower socioeconomic status children was investigated. Results indicated that the introduction of both tangible and social reward significantly facilitated performance on the learning task and resistance to extinction as compared with the no-reward control condition, and that the two types of reward appeared to be equally effective. No significant differences as a function of sex of the subject were evident, but the subjects performed significantly better when the experimenter was female. These findings were discussed particularly as regards their discrepancy from previous work.
The Reitan-Halstead Organic Test Battery has been found of little practical value in general psychiatric populations in that it does not separate hospitalized organics from schizophrenics. An attempt was made to improve such discrimination through the application of response-contingent censure for poor performance during administration of one test from this battery. Ss were 48 hospitalized patients diagnosed schizophrenic reaction or brain syndrome. The Tactile Performance Test was administered to half of each group under standard administration conditions and to the other half under conditions of response-contingent censure. Under the latter condition there was a significant difference in performance by the groups, fewer schizophrenics scoring within the brain-damaged range.
The alternation behavior of twenty-four 5-and 6-year-old male and female children reared in low socioeconomic status environments was compared with that of 24 similar middle status subjects. Results indicated that middle status subjects alternated significantly more frequently than lower status subjects (p < .001) and that female subjects alternated significantly more frequently than male subjects (p < .01). However, analysis of the significant interaction between sex and socioeconomic status (p < .05) indicated that significant effects resulted primarily from the far fewer alternations made by lower status males. Implications of these results were discussed.
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