Instructions to use verbal mediators in learning a mixed paired-associate list.

Mediational instruction, stage of practice, presentation rate, and retrieval cue in paired-associate learning.

“…Gruber et al (1965) attribute the relative weakness of the effect to the tendency of control 5s to use mediators also, thereby attenuating any difference between their learning and that of instructed 5s. Such a view seems reasonable, given that almost all 5s, regardless of instructions, report using mediators (e.g., Schwartz et al, 1970). It implies, however, that when 5s enter the experiment, they already have learned to use a media-tional strategy.…”

“…If, as Gruber et al (1965) suggest, control 5s spontaneously begin to use a mediational strategy in order to learn a PA list, then one would expect a diminution of any effect of instructions over firstlist learning. Relevant data from studies using one PA list are contradictory, with Paivio and Yuille (1969) reporting that instructional set affects only the first two trials and Schwartz et al (1970) finding that a mediational rule affects both early and late stages of first-list learning. The present study examined this question by having 5s learn two successive lists under varying instructional sets, with learning being measured by both recall on initial trials and trials to criterion.…”