An interrupted stimulus can facilitate PA learning - Horowitz, L.M.; Newman, W. (Elsevier)
The S had to learn a PA list containing CCC stimuli paired with common-word responses. Each pair was presented at a 4:1-sec rate. In the ''continuous'' condition, the stimulus appeared on the memory drum continuously throughout the 4-sec stimulus interval. In the ''interrupted'' condition, the stimulus appeared for the first and last seconds of the 4-sec interval, and a blank screen appeared during the middle seconds. The interrupted stimulus facilitated learning in Exp. I. The effect was particularly strong for female Ss. The experiment was replicated in Exp. III. Apparently, an interrupted stimulus is more effective in stimulating S's associative processes. This interpretation was examined in Exp. II. First each S studied the PA list for 3 trials. Then S was given a test of free association; he was shown each trigram-word pair and he had to think of some mediator (a word or a phrase) which connected the trigram to the word. The S's latency of response was measured. Those Ss who had observed the ''interrupted'' material responded faster in free association.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5371(69)80065-4
Keywords: D; CL-CZ