O. W. Smith

LATENCY OF VERBAL REPRODUCTIONS AS A VARIABLE IN VOCAL PAIRED-ASSOCIATE LEARNING

Some CCVCs used by Smith and Koutstaal (1972) as stimuli in a paired-associate learning study resulted in noticeable delays in attempted vocalizations or subvocalizations. Latencies of vocalizations of CCVCs representing the four phonological categories of the stimuli were timed to determine whether a monotonic function would be obtained as for trials to criterion in the learning study. A markedly non-monotonic function resulted. Latency was rejected as a variable contributing to differences in trials to criterion for the paired-associate task. Practice effects were: (a) decrease in mean latencies for all categories, (b) reduction in range of correlations, and (c) an increase in mean correlations from .66 to .87 (N = 40).

Effects of Practice on Reversals of Incomplete Necker Cubes

The theory of Ammons (1954) in conjunction with that of Ammons, Ulrich, and Ammons (1959) is that practice (perceptual learning) in reversing Necker cubes reduces the latency of form recognition. If true, reversal rates of a highly incomplete outline of a Necker should be significantly increased by practice on more complete outlines of cubes. In order of observation, practice in reversing on 15, 25, 50, 100, and 15% outlines of a Necker yielded a reversal rate on the last 15% cube nearly equal to that of the 100% cube. The theory remained tenable.

The effect of memory color on form identification

Previous studies have demonstrated that a form’s identity affects the phenomenal hue of that form. This effect has been attributed to the operation of the “memory color” phenomenon. The present study was proposed to assess the effect of “memory” or characteristic color on form identification. Results indicate that memory color, rather than interacting with the object in such a manner as to aid identification, induces a bias toward identification of an object of the memory color.

ADDITIONAL CORRELATES OF GREENBERG AND JENKINS' LINGUISTIC S SCALE

Greenberg and Jenkins (1964) reported a linear relationship between two independently derived scales. One was a linguistic substitution, S, scale of distance of CCVCs from English. The second was the means of judgments of distance from English of CCVCs constructed according to their S scale. Two hypotheses were tested. One was that a psychological correlate of their S scale was the effort of pronouncing. The second is that increasing values of the S scale result in increasing strangeness of sounds corresponding to their CCVCs. Both hypotheses remain tenable.

Paired-Associate Learning of Phonemic CCVCS as a Function of Phonological Permissibility

Koutstaal and Smiths (1972) linguistic theory for the differential rates of learning of alphabetic CVCs was tested on the paired-associate learning of phonemic CCVCs. These were selected from Greenberg and Jenkins (1964) lists to represent 0, 1, 2, or 3 violations of phonological rules. A monotonic function was predicted and obtained for the paired-associate learning of the phonemic CCVCs of the four categories.

Common Errors in Reports of Psychological Studies

Over 90% of manuscripts finally accepted for publication by Perceptual and Motor Skills require revision. Frequently, faults are found in the formal structure and content of reports, and in the style and grammar of reporting. Examples of common deficiencies in both categories are reported.

Apparent size contrasts of retinal images and size constancy as determinants of the moon illusion.

Kaufman and Rock (1962) and Rock and Kaufman (1962) concluded that the moon illusion is a function of and attributable to apparent distance. They also reported a large framing effect as an exception. Analysis of the effect suggests two components which can account for the illusion independently of apparent distance. These are apparent size contrasts of visual images of discriminable features or objects of the earth with the moons image and size constancy of the features or objects plus the interactions of the two. Apparent distances to horizons are always a consequence of the necessary conditions for the illusion. They are related to the illusion but are not a determinant of it.

Correlates of Greenberg and Jenkins' S-Scale Across Languages.

Mean scale values of ratings of effort in subvocalizing CCVCs from Greenberg and Jenkins (1964) List 1 were obtained for 5 groups of Ss (ns = 17, 21, 23, 18, 22). Their native languages were not English. The hypothesis was that the scale values would correlate substantially and consistently with the S values of the CCVCs as is the case for 25 Ss whose native tongue is English. The hypothesis remains tenable. Another prediction was that phonetic contrast and strangeness values based on associations in Dutch to the CCVCs would not correlate subtantially with S values of the CCVCs for American English. The prediction was confirmed. A factor analysis yielded one S scale factor and one for associations in Dutch.

Relation of Phonetic Contrasts to Greenberg and Jenkins' S Scale.

Smith and Koutstaal (1969) obtained reports of the English words closest to Greenberg and Jenkins (1964) List 1 CCVCs. The phonetic contrasts of the reported English words and the CCVCs were scaled on a phonetic contrast scale, PCS. The PCS values correlated .86 with the S values of the CCVCs and .88 with mean language distance judgments reported by Greenberg and Jenkins (1964). The hypothesis remains tenable that phonetic contrasts are another correlate of Greenberg and Jenkins S scale.

Are Pronounceability and Effort Ratings Psychologically Equivalent

Is Underwood and Schulzs (1960) pronounceability scale psychologically equivalent to Ryan and Smiths (1954) effort scale for work? CVCs with high or low m′ values (Noble, 1961) were rated on both scales. Judgments of equivalence were inconsistent over Ss and CVCs. The scales are not parallel by Gulliksens (1950) criteria. They correlate .99 and over-all have nearly equal means, variances, and covariances. Differential effects of work on rates of learning of CVCs were attributed to the diversion of attention from retention on initial learning trials plus high difficulty and effort of reproduction from imperfect retention on these trials.