Pigeons responded in a serial response time task patterned after that of M. J. Nissen and P. Bullemer (1987) with humans. Experiment 1 produced global facilitation: Response times in repeating lists of locations were faster than when locations were random. Response time to a spatial location was also a function of both that location's 1st- and…

There is general agreement that the effect of frequency on lexical access time is roughly logarithmic, although little attention has been given to the reason for this. The authors argue that models of lexical access that incorporate a frequency-ordered serial comparison or verification procedure provide an account of this effect and predict that…

There is a long-standing debate in the area of speech production on the question of whether only words selected for articulation are phonologically activated (as maintained by serial-discrete models) or whether this is also true for their semantic competitors (as maintained by forward-cascading and interactive models). Past research has addressed…

In 5 experiments, a Hebb repetition effect, that is, improved immediate serial recall of an (unannounced) repeating list, was demonstrated in the immediate serial recall of visual materials, even when use of phonological short-term memory was blocked by concurrent articulation. The learning of a repeatedly presented letter list in one modality…

Variations of backward chaining--backward chaining with leap-aheads (BCLA) and reverse chaining with leap-aheads (RCLA)-- were compared with four severely retarded learners (17-32 years) who were trained on two complex vocational tasks. Learning rate for the BCLA procedure was superior to the RCLA procedure. Time to criterion differences were…

Two groups of reading-disabled (RD) children were compared with controls (age- and IQ-matched competent readers), on a serial running memory task. RD children performed reliably worse than their controls due to an inability to encode serial items in the form of serial phonological patterns. (Author/RD)

A theory of practice in high-proficiency skills such as speech production is proposed, involving activation of a hierarchy of nodes in serial order within an output system of behavior. Increased flexibility with practice, response mechanism transfer in skills, motor equivalence, automaticity, and speed-accuracy trade-off are discussed. (Author/CM)

To examine developmental aspects of auditory sensory memory, a series of experiments was conducted on the stimulus suffix effect with the primary variables being age of subject (7 and 11 years), rates of presentation, and length of list. Effects were nearly identical across age groups when a fast presentation rate was used. (Author/DB)

Investigated the serial recall strategies of 96 children aged 5-8 years by applying a theoretical and methodological approach originally developed to investigate preschoolers' arithmetic strategies. Results indicated the use of multiple approaches for serial recall and adaptive strategy choices. (RJC)

Use of diagrams and three-dimensional aids in teaching laboratory techniques of tooth reduction was evaluated. The visual aids were found to be useful, but little difference was found in the effectiveness of two- and three-dimensional aids, possibly because two-dimensional aids provided step-by-step instructions while three-dimensional models did…

This study examined the relative influence of observation, feedback in training seriation, and imitative motor activity in facilitating conceptual development. (CM)

A study involving four caregivers evaluated the effectiveness of a systematic instructional procedure known as constant time delay (CTD) in teaching caregivers how to use CTD to teach their adolescent or adult children, siblings, or clients with disabilities, response chain skills. Results found the procedure to be effective. (CR)

Many studies have analysed how goal directed movements are corrected in response to changes in the properties of the target. However, only simple movements to single targets have been used in those studies, so little is known about movement corrections under more complex situations. Evidence from studies that ask for movements to several targets…

Four experiments investigated the attentional requirements of learning as assessed by a serial reaction time task. The effects of a dual-task condition, plus the responses of memory disorder patients, were also investigated. The relationship between learning and awareness, preserved learning in amnesia, and the separateness of memory systems are…

Younger (age 20-35) veterans showed better performance on learning and psychomotor tasks than did older (age 55-70) veterans. Positive attitudes toward aging, and greater life satisfaction were associated with better performance on the behavioral tasks in the older group. Results suggest age-related behavior may be related to psychosocial…