M. van Daalen-Kapteijns

The acquisition of word meanings as a cognitive learning process

In Experiment 1 subjects who were relatively high or low in verbal comprehension learned the meaning of neologisms from series of sentences while thinking aloud. Differences between high- and low-verbal subjects were found in the way they use a known word meaning as a model for the neologisms meaning and in the way they transform the sentence contents accordingly. In Experiment 2 these findings were replicated and a corresponding difference in learning products was found. The “analytic” way in which high verbals use a model unit provides them with directions into which to transform the sentence contents, whereas the “holistic” model utilization of low verbals does not. Implications of these results for verbal comprehension from a psychological point of view are discussed.

The Topic-Comment Technique to Study Expository Text

AbstractThe topic-comment technique fosters deep processing and also functions as a support strategy. Its effect, appreciated during study skills courses, was tested under experimental conditions in the present study. Training in the technique improved the quality of the notes taken by the subjects while studying a text; subjects also reported a perceived change in text studying abilities. Taking into account the results of a placebo training, it was concluded that the topic-comment technique derives its effect partly from more general characteristics of study skills training and partly from the specific instrumental value of the technique. The readiness of freshmen in higher education to adopt a new study technique to replace obsolete ones is discussed.